Take My Heart
by BettyBest2
Summary: Elizabeth has always wanted to know what love was like, but being a Goddess of Life means the emotion is almost unattainable to her. Until her curious ways get the best of her when she discovers a powerful demon of the Underworld that piques her interest in mysterious ways.
1. The First Seed Is Planted

**Okay, so those of you reading this might be a little confused as to why this is so similar to the amazing lickitysplit's _The Dark Heart_. Well, that's because she showed me a bit of that story while she was in the process of writing it and I was truly in awe of her writing and taken with the concept of the story. Now I didn't go and rush off and write this story immediately after mind you. I kind of got the idea for this after reading a paragraph of something I started and stopped and with the bit of _The Dark Heart_ lickitysplit had shown me, this story came to be. So I took the chance to combine an idea I promised Vetur02 I'd do one day and lickitysplit's amazing idea.  
I was so grateful she didn't disown me for writing a fanfiction of her fanfiction! She was actually pretty moved. So I hope you all enjoy this as much as she did!**

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 **~1~**

 **-The First Seed Is Planted-**

There are many Goddesses in existence. All with purposes unique to their kind. There are Goddesses of Life, Virtue, Sacrifice, Redemption, Battle, the list goes on. There are even Goddesses of Love. The Goddesses of Love know the meaning behind ever soulful glance passed between two kindred spirits, they know the extent one goes through to save another from harm. They know the flare behind every touch, every word. They even know the eternal flame kindled between two unlikely souls. They know this because Goddesses of Love are borne of the powerful emotion, something Elizabeth dreams she was to…

Elizabeth is a Goddess of Life.

She makes sure the earth is ripe with vitality and that the air is fresh enough to breathe. The fresh water sources are made so with her help, in order for crisp and refreshing drinks to be had on blistering days. She even blesses the lives of those just born or newly created, and happy events like the marriages of humans, where she sometimes encounters Goddesses of Love. Being a Goddess of Life though means that the life around her feeds her emotions.

So laying as she is now in a field with grass so green it's nearly blinding, surrounded by forget-me-nots that naturally sprout around her, Elizabeth feels calm and content. The cool breeze that passes along her exposed flesh, dances along her closed eyelids, and tickles her nose makes her wistful. She wishes she could feel more than this, than the artificial happiness the world provides her reminiscent to the "food" plants receive from the sun. She wants to be able to _feel_ like those other Goddesses. She wants so much more…

"Elizabeth!"

The exasperated call pulls her eyelids open to reveal two crystal blue irises. Elizabeth notices a swirl of puffy white in the sky above her as she moves to sit up before her eyes land on a lavender haired woman that sits in front of her. Elizabeth watches in fascination as tulips grow around the woman before her attention is captured once more. "I knew I'd find you here, and underdressed no less."

By underdressed, she means Elizabeth's lack of clothing. Only light spreads from the center of her chest, a thin strip in the very center then sweeping wide over her breasts in elegant curls similar to the shape of a butterfly. And light wraps around her waist thickly as well, then drips down her thighs like sparkles. Elizabeth fidgets with a sheepish smile under her friend's chocolate brown stare, knowing she's been scolded for going out unclothed repeatedly. "But Margaret, you know I feel most comfortable like this," she reminds in a voice as soft and gentle like the wispy rays of sunlight.

"Yes dear," Margaret agrees as a breeze rustles her hair and the feathers on the snow white wings upon her back, "But it's best if you are this way only in the Celestial Realm. Down here in Britannia you should try to wear something like this," she holds out a soft layered dress of a beige hue which Elizabeth weakly takes and begins to slide up her figure. Margaret offers a gentle smile once Elizabeth smooths out the material against her skin. Then the older places a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder and continues with a bit more seriousness. "I didn't come here to chastise you about your lack of clothing, Elizabeth."

Now Elizabeth blinks as the wind blows her silver hair across her face briefly and ruffles her purple tinted feathers. "What is it, sister?"

"You must go and bless the creation of a new life, my dear." Margaret informs her gently.

Elizabeth's face lights up, her cheeks staining red with the force of her smile. She may wish that she could experience more and is dreadfully curious as to what other emotions Love can bring, but she absolutely enjoys her hand in the blessings she's able to give. Elizabeth effervescently rises to her feet and tugs her sister with her. "Alright! Thank you, Margaret!" She twirls her sister around in a circle; a short impromptu dance that erupts giggles from their chests as flowers grow all around them.

With a final spin as she lets go of Margaret's warm hands, Elizabeth suck in a deep breath and feels the warmth of her power coiled in her chest. She lets it flow out partially fizzling in the air around her as she becomes perfectly incorporeal. This is the best way Goddesses of Life are able to bestow their blessings without detection; although Elizabeth tends to like physically being present when she gives her blessings, she to has found that after her first time trying to bless the creation of life that way it didn't work out too well. Thus she sticks to this one rule when it comes to not only that blessing, but the one for the bringing of new life as well.

"Good luck, Elizabeth!" Margaret call out to her sweetly.

And Elizabeth chooses to fly out on that well wish in high spirits. There's a certain tug that emanates from her being as she flies swiftly over plains, valleys, and villages. It guides her to where she needs to go without fail. But Elizabeth is always one to take detours and make things fun and more exciting on her trips to each miracle she provides to the world. And as she drifts past a flock of doves, her mind instantly lands on small game.

Swerving up in an arc she bursts through the bottom of a cloud and reappears through the top with a happy squeal. The cloud doesn't show any evidence that she just flew through it, but she knows how crisp the clustered air and water of clouds can be, has had fun looping through them for hours in a day. So the phantom sensation tickles her flesh and she does it again and again until she runs out of them in her path and knows that going to find more would deter her too far from her journey.

Once more her mind gives her an idea as she swoops down in a barrel roll towards an open field beside a forest so near to her target. _Why not race the wind?_ It's always a fun aspect. One she's tried so many times before. She hasn't been able to do it, but it's always so amazing to have the wind whipping her hair all around and slicking her feathers perfectly back that she charges right ahead imagining it again right then. The rush of the world blurring around her speeds her heart and charges her spirit. Slowly, as a challenge, she extends her right hand out, daintily stretching two fingers out towards the grass nearest the line of trees so that forget-me-nots begin to sprout in her wake.

She laughs breathless at her success just when she feels the tug inside of her pull sharp. Elizabeth pulls her arms in her chest and does a little loop in the air before hovering gently with eyes curiously forward. A castle towers before her, grim, cold, and barren looking. She does not shiver in fear though nor does she shy away from it. Instead her lips purse in a small frown and she ponders how a place can fester with such a lack of vitality.

Flying through a shuttered window on the top floor of the castle where she knows she must be, Elizabeth peers around the room looking for the mother she must bless. Instead, what she finds are two people barely scraping over the age of adulthood writhing on the bed beneath the sheets. Elizabeth stares and continues to observe in growing confusion as the bodies move in somewhat of a frenzy. She's never seen anything quite like it before. And the sounds, the noises the woman makes are worrying to Elizabeth. The woman is making frequent breathy noises, gasping around words as she claws at the toned back of the man. Surely… Surely, she's being hurt?

Elizabeth hovers anxiously as she grasps at the ends of her hair not sure of what she should do, _having never seen this happen._ But then the woman's body goes still just before a twitchy release of motion settles into her limbs as the man slows atop of her. Elizabeth only begins to relax and realize the sounds are positive when the woman allows the man to kiss her parted lips in a familiar motion Elizabeth's seen couples being married often do. When all eventually calms, and the two are breathless and sweaty on the bed— _as Elizabeth had expected them to be_ —Elizabeth drifts towards them hesitantly. Her eyes shift between the two as if expecting them to see her.

They do not and she is able to extend her finger towards the woman's stomach where a flower of light blossoms that only she can see. Then taking one last look at the blond woman and raven haired male, she flees the silent room back to the peaceful quiet of the outdoors. But even now as she puts distance from her and the room in the drab castle while regaining her physical form, she can still see the images playing out in her mind; their bodies tangled together with hardly a breadth of space between them, the strange emotions etched across the woman's face as the man pressed his mouth along her shoulder and neck, the cries and whimpers, gasps and grunts... Elizabeth squeezes her eyes closed as her hands press tightly against the sides of her head as if nursing a headache. ' _What was that? What was that? What was t—!'_

"Elizabeth?" The concerned voice pulls her from the place she was sinking and she breathes a sigh of relief as the images and sounds fade away. "Are you alright?"

Elizabeth flies to meet Margaret in a brief hug, feeling the warm of her sister and inhaling the scent of tulips welcomingly. "I am fine."

"So did everything go well with the blessing?" Margaret reaches towards Elizabeth and straightens out the sleeve that was beginning to slip down the silverette's shoulder.

Nodding without missing a beat, flits out of Margaret's reach with a little grin, already having plans of ridding herself of the confining dress rather soon. "It went well! They should have a healthy baby in no time!"

Margaret begins a playful chase after her as Elizabeth heads towards the clouds where the entrance to the Celestial Realm lies. "That's always wonderful to hear! Now, Elizabeth… Elizabeth come back here! Don't take off that dress!" The shout layered with amusement echoes through the air.

A layered dress begins to flutter like a wayward feather back down to the earth as Elizabeth wheezes a laugh, "Sorry! And you did say I could go without it in our Realm after all!"

Margaret can only shake her head and speed after her friend with a smile at this.

~.~.~

The weeks go by and Elizabeth forgets what she witnessed, easily falling back into her routine of bringing life wherever she goes. She aids in the revival to dying lands and heals the beginnings of a plague in a small village. She touches and she heals, she blesses and she prays, but for every good thing she does more bad things seem to keep springing up. After several weeks of this, the reason for the strife Britannia is facing truly begins to emerge in the brink of an all-out war.

The Demon King has set out ten of his most vile and dastardly kinsmen to spread death across the land. He wants it cleared out before he claims it completely for the Underworld.

Elizabeth sits in a secluded spot in a forest with her feet dipped in crystalline pond as her mind goes over the news Margaret shared with her repeatedly. She knows there are others out there, _demons_ that act as the bringers of death. Life can only go so long and she can only prolong it by making it as blissful and happy as possible. But she knows eventually the time comes when a life must be extinguished and that's what demons do. But what she doesn't understand is why they want to take so much life, so quickly, right now? What changed?

A few goldfish swim towards her toes, causing ripples in the water, and begin to nibble at her feet. She giggles softly and the wilting flowers at her sides begin to rise with her mood. "Things will get better little fish. I'm sure they will." She grins.

An explosion suddenly erupts a distance behind her roaring in her ears. The backlash of the heat blows into her, nearly singing her skin and feathers and swiping her hair in frantic waves in front of her face. The fish scurry in circles in the water as the vibrations rock through the ground, disturbing their peace. But in a beat everything grows still and the heat that rushed against her skin dissipates, being replaced by the cool draft of the forest.

Elizabeth's eyes however are wide with shock and shakily she stands to her feet to turn around in inspection. She takes an unsteady, dripping step forward as her heart clearly beats a tempo of _run away_ while her curiosity tells her to _go closer._ A hand on her upper arm has her halt in the middle.

Her head whips around to see mocha eyes set in a stern face framed by purple hair in a bowl shaped cut. "Elizabeth, don't you dare go that way!"

Another shockwave rumbles through the ground and Elizabeth yelps as she clutches the hand on her arm for balance. "B-but Veronica—"

Veronica shakes her head sharply. "No. This is a job for _us_ ," and Elizabeth knows she's referring to the Goddesses of Battle. "We have to drive them away."

"Please don't get hurt sister," To see the life of any one of her sisters be taken away would be dreadful.

Veronica squeezes her hand around Elizabeth's arm briefly before letting go. Her bangs cast her eyes in a dangerous shadow as she glares ahead. "They are the ones who will be hurt here."

And those words too as Veronica flies towards the demons causes a pain to spiral through Elizabeth's chest. Death and destruction are horrible things. Things she can't bear. Even if the ones possibly being hurt are the demons, she can't stand the idea behind it.

Flapping her wings a few times until she catches an updraft, she takes to the air and speeds away from the area as her sister advised of her. The sound of clashing and rumbling grow fainter and fainter the further she gets, easing her fears but at the same time increasing her worries. Her eyes see trees and structures, grass and stone roads, but her mind wears away at frantic thoughts. Are her sisters dying? Are the demons? How many are being hurt this instant? How many are going through agony until their very last breath when death finally claims them?

She chokes on a breath as her flight falters and once again like so many weeks before she presses her hands to her head and tries to will away the images. But this time there is no Margaret to pull her away from the sinking feeling. This time she turns back. This time she lets curiosity get the better of her.

Allowing her eyes to fall shut, Elizabeth lets her powers flow completely outward as she lets herself become one with the air all around, her form dissipating completely in doing so. In this way she can see anything she wishes and be anywhere she wants in a blink, feeling the way air does, slowly or swiftly. The other Goddesses of Life have never been as good as becoming one with the earth, air, or water like Elizabeth; she's always just had a knack for it. And now it's coming in handy as she thinks of the battle she left behind wanting to see for herself how things are faring.

The world shifts and changes around her like the tide in battle and then it stops sharp, opening up around her once more. The battle was what she wanted to see. The aftermath is what she bears witness to.

Crimson blood drips from the leaves of trees staining the soaked grass further. Bodies lay all about bent at odd angles; some missing limbs, others missing wings, many with their eyes staring ahead, unseeing. Smoke rises from a stray fire, going through, around, and choking Elizabeth as she stares, shaken at the brutality that has taken place. Everything is quiet. Everything is peaceful as death sweeps through the area, stealing souls one by one.

And then Elizabeth sees a shock of purple and her power snaps back into a coil within her giving her a physical form which she uses to run to one of her many fallen sisters. Blood chills against the soles of her feet, but she dashes quickly regardless. She kneels at Veronica's side and pulls her sister's torso up onto her lap. She doesn't realize she's crying until her salty tears land on her sister's cheek. Lips holding the only color on her face begin to wobble as she places a trembling hand on Veronica's chest. "I'll h-heal you. I p-promise I can!"

She refuses to take her eyes off of her sister's face to see the extent of the damage done, but even she can't ignore the blood that spills across her skin from Veronica's missing arm and legs. Elizabeth's power reaches out mending things that repeatedly come undone like trying to piece together water; it can't be done. Her hand over a heart that refuses to beat quivers with the force of her grief. "Veronica? Y-you promised. You p-promised, didn't y-you?"

Thunder claps above as a swirl of clouds form dark and heavy with gloom. They open up as Elizabeth's tears start to run faster and the booms of thunder drown out her wails. Drenched from head to toe as rain chills her to the bone and slips down her wings, the Goddess of Life is lost in a sea of death.


	2. What Is Love?

I apologize in advance for the generally short chapter lengths.

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 **~2~**

 **-What Is Love?-**

Elizabeth stays in the Celestial Realm for weeks after, passing on her duties to others during this time. And as time goes by and the sear of loss begins to numb, Elizabeth hears of the growing war in Britannia. She learns little by little that the humans, giants, and fairies are starting to work with her sisters in order to fight the demons. She is told that the ten demons taking most of the life from Britannia are becoming more wild and unpredictable, that their leader is the vilest of them all. Elizabeth decides then that's she's had enough of sitting around in fear and that her duties must still be upheld.

She travels down to Britannia when she learns of a marriage about to take place. She knows with all the hell springing up across Britannia, seeing the joining of two people in love will lift her spirits immensely. Elizabeth decides to be swift in her travel, not wanting to miss a moment of the ceremony. The tug she feels guiding her leads her across lands beaten and worn, dry from drought and barren of use. She bites her lip and slows her pace, feeling her heart lurch at the lack of life. She flies low to the ground and reaches out her hand, tapping the ground gently to plant the seeds of vitality back into the earth. Signs are small in the budding blades of grass that peek up from the dirt, but she knows in time this place will be flourishing.

With a tender smile she speeds up once more, closing the gap between her and the couple. She finds herself on the edge of a forest that leads to the cusp of a cliff. The sun glows softly on the spot, highlighting the blond in a white glimmering dress and the raven haired male in a matching white suit. Elizabeth hides behind a tree relatively well as she watches the two with happiness speckled in her blue eyes.

The woman is obviously pregnant, but still very elegant in her appearance as her eyes stay locked on the man across from her. And as she studies them closer watching as they whisper soft spoken words filled with meaning and hope to the other, Elizabeth realizes they're the same two she saw before; the mother whose unborn child she blessed.

Elizabeth sighs in content as she realizes things are going well for them. But a sense of longing pricks at her skin as she eyes the strength of the emotion burning in the woman's gaze. She wonders what it would be like to have that feeling rush inside of her. What it is like to touch another and feel something other than companionship and comfort. Like she saw with these two.

Blue eyes drifting back into focus she sees the two leaning towards each other, their mouths slanting together like puzzle pieces. Elizabeth gasps and feels her cheeks warm as her hand reaches towards them fingers outstretched. A flower of light floats from her palm drifting lazily towards them, then disappears in a flash of sparkles upon contact.

A smile tugs at her lips becoming damp by a few happy tears she sheds. She plans on staying just a little longer, but a sensation of a dark power tickling along her spine makes her gasp and wipe away her tears with the back of her hand. Turning away from the couple, her interest piqued, she weaves deeper into the forest in search of what caught her attention. Flowers burst from bushes she wades through, brushing along her exposed skin gently.

"What is that?" She whispers softly to herself as the feeling grows stronger. She keeps her steps light, grateful to the soft grass that grows beneath her feet, concealing her approach further. Voices come into range, two by the sound of it, and hesitantly Elizabeth flies upwards and into a tree feeling higher ground will aid her there.

She peers through the leaves on the branches trying to see the people speaking in hushed tones. Her eyes land first on the woman whose hair is the wildest she's ever seen and a light fiery orange. What causes Elizabeth to suck in a sharp breath is the woman's lack of clothing, just like Elizabeth! Elizabeth's eyes travel across the black intricate makings that swirl across the woman's breasts, stretch around her hips and down her left thigh. She eyes with intrigue the mark that brands a high cheekbone and silently marvels at someone being similar to her in that sense.

When the woman speaks again, that's when Elizabeth's eyes drift to the male. Her body shudders as a feeling rushes through it, something intense and burning like never before. She swallows against the heat that climbs her neck and stills in awe. He too wears no clothing as darkness snakes down his right side in jagged curls ending at his knee. His skin is a light tan, toned and firmed with muscle. His hair is a golden blond that reminds Elizabeth of the sun and his face... She stares intently at his strong features, fascinated and enraptured. _'Have I seen him somewhere before?'_ She thinks somewhat dazed as her fingers clutch rough bark.

The blond suddenly makes a move for the woman who dances easily out of the way. They both wear smiles like those of the sharks in the ocean, causing Elizabeth to grip tighter to the tree she hides within. She's not sure of their actions, thinking it similar to the chase she plays with her sisters, but knowing deep in her gut this is something more than that.

The two move faster, flitting across the clearing in a silent, deadly blur, until ultimately the blond with wild hair catches her in his grasp. Elizabeth's heart thuds anxiously as she awaits what could happen next. In slow precise movements, she sees his hand slide along his captive's hip, then roam around the curved rear he finds soon after. Elizabeth brings a hand over her lips as she keeps her eyes on them, shocked by the display, by the blatant physical contact he seems to crave. He doesn't waste time in moving in next, placing his mouth right against the woman's.

As she watches them, the flurry of lips and the closeness of their bodies reminds her of the couple she blessed and the way they had moved in their bed. _'Is that it?'_ She questions as the hand over her mouth moves to trace her lips in longing. Her heart pounds in her chest in rising hope. _'Is that what it's like to experience love?'_

The woman pulls back then and brings her left fist to the blond's chest playful as she says a few words. The blond only smirks and crosses his arms as he watches her leave intently. Elizabeth's eyes widen as she pulls herself tighter against the tree. _'I'm alone with him!'_ The very thought is terrifying and exhilarating all at once. Her eyes glue to his face watching the way his lips fall into a flat line the minute the woman's presence disappears. Then she stays still and very quiet as he strides to the center of the clearing and lays flat on his back.

Slowly she begins to relax, realizing he doesn't notice her, and it becomes much easier to study the mysterious man with blond hair. His eyes are completely dark like the woman's, it dawns on her, and she wonders why that is, why they bare markings so very dark and cold… She tilts her head, brushing the locks of hair that fall in front of her face in doing so out of the way as ideas come to mind. He's not human. He can't be with how quickly he moved. Nor is he a giant and he doesn't hold the same characteristics of a fairy either.

She lets her eyes trace a line down his torso, along his arms, not sure of why her breathing begins to speed and her stomach starts to flutter from seeing the hard lines of his body so openly on display, like nothing she's ever seen before. Taking a quiet quick breath she eyes the darkness that wraps thickly around his waist and between his legs before tracing the tone of his legs as she narrows down her thoughts. _'If he's not either of those then can he be... a demon?'_ She looks upon him again with a new knowledge seeing for the first time the true danger that lies just beneath the calm of his resting form. But still she sits in the tree, her eyes on his figure as her breathing escalates once more. He's brought death to the world. He's her opposite. But that's his job isn't it? What he was borne of, like she with life?

Elizabeth gazes at his face seeing the hard edges softened beneath the warm sun and sees no hatred or malice. In fact, he looks peaceful. He looks sweet.

Elizabeth slips off the branch she's perched on, and gently hovers above the ground with gentle flaps of her wings, careful not to touch it. She listens closely hearing the occasional soft breeze. The forest is calm and quiet, any dangers long gone, so she's positive the woman has left and that she and this demon are really alone. Nervously pressing her hands together, Elizabeth drifts closer to him inch by inch with each breath she takes, until she reaches his side.

Her pulse is thumping below her skin, making her jumpy with anticipation as she gets a closer look at him. She knows her sister Margaret would scold her severely for being so careless, but Elizabeth is too curious. She wants to understand more.

Slowly she lowers her feet to the ground, then her legs as she sits next to him. And she tries desperately to hold her powers in, but forget-me-nots sprout up eagerly, some hitting his ribs in their exuberance. She nearly squeaks at this, expecting him to wake, but only his nose twitches before he falls still once more. She's so close now and he's surprisingly _warm_. Like a heat that never runs low and blazes for all of eternity. It's inviting, no more than that. Elizabeth wants to bring her hands to his skin, to feel how it would move and warm and tingle under her fingers. But she knows with absolute certainty that would wake him, that she should be appreciative enough to even be this close.

Still though she leans closer, studying the way his eyelashes flutter just slightly and how thick his bangs fall across his face. Her breathing slows as she studies his jaw and how sharp it is, but how his cheeks seem much softer in comparison. She swallows as she leans in more, a few locks of hair slipping over her shoulders to dust against his chest, looking at the curve of his nose that leads right down to his lips… Elizabeth is certain her mind fuzzes in a bubbly warmth as her finger of its own accord lifts to trace the path of first his upper, then lower lip. "Is this what it's like to love?" She breathlessly asks.

His eyes fly open locking her in place as every part of her freezes. Then before he can move, can even begin to comprehend her presence, she throws out her power, merging with the air as she flees back to the Celestial Realm. All that's left behind of her is a bed of forget-me-nots that was not there before.

~.~.~

Elizabeth falls into a pattern happily after her close encounter with the mysterious demon. She goes through her duties as effortlessly as before except upon completion instead of going back to the Celestial Realm or to the field she's used to spending time in, Elizabeth heads out in seek of him. She becomes one with the air which is most effective in taking her to wherever he may be when she has no clue of where to start looking.

The first time she finds him after their brief encounter, he is with not only that woman from before, but a few other vicious looking demons as well. She becomes incorporeal then and conceals herself further within bushes, uncertain if they will note her presence. But the demons continue to talk in harsh tones, their smiles biting and their laughter coarse. She does not care for what they speak of however as her eyes stay on the blond.

He is just as entrancing, even more imposing than before as he addresses them in clipped, concise words. She leans forward, unseen, in awe as he gives commands quietly yet his voice seems to carry for miles. He is a leader, a calm, calculating one that has the loyalty of his kinsman easily.

She feels at a loss for breath, but she can't find the reason behind it at the time as her attention stays trained on the blond. She wants to get closer as he discusses war tactics. She feels the insistent need for more that had nearly gotten her caught before rear up again. Unfortunately she is helpless to fight against it and gingerly floats out of the bushes she'd hidden in now sprouting forget-me-nots.

She drifts like a ghost towards him and only stops once she hovers right in front of him. He does not see her, his eyes dark and stony look right through her. But she does not care. Her heart swells with longing thinking of this demon, covered in darkness, hardened by apathy, but hiding something more she caught a glimpse of as he slept.

Her fingers go to his cheek not truly feeling and almost passing through with her urge to trace his features, wanting the freedom to do so without fear. But as her fingers delicately trace his cheek and trail across his jaw, he suddenly goes silent. His eyes focus on her.

Elizabeth seizes in placed with her hand on his cheek as they seemingly lock eyes. But she knows this to be impossible; she is unseen and unfelt by all in that state.

When someone voices a hesitant, "Meliodas?" and the demon's eyes snap straight once more as he resumes where he left off, Elizabeth gains a smile as brilliant as the sun.

"Meliodas," she whispers the name as her finger traces his upper, then lower lip in his pause in speech with the very tip of her finger, "That's your name. Meliodas..." Heart full of pleasant emotions at the discovery, Elizabeth chooses to leave before she pushes her luck any further. What she doesn't notice as she flies from the area is how Meliodas' eyes focus on the bush full of forget-me-nots for a long moment, before turning away.


	3. Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

**Thanks for reading this so far! Do make sure you check out _The Dark Heart_ by _lickitysplit_ , if you haven't already. This was inspired by that after all ^-^**

* * *

 **~3~**

 **-Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder-**

The second time she sees him is after a long stretch of absence.

The annual festival celebrating the life of Britannia comes to Elizabeth's attention quite unexpectedly. Usually she's more aware of the date, more than overjoyed to be taking apart of the various festivities taking place mostly around pregnant mothers and new wives who give off the most life. But Elizabeth's focus has been elsewhere lately. On someone crackling with dark energy and mystery.

So when night falls after having created a new river near a dwindling village, Elizabeth is prepared to seek out Meliodas as per usual, eager to be as close to him as she dares even if he's just asleep for the evening. But a sudden hand on her wrist stops her from departing the Celestial Realm on her own as she'd planned. Instead she turns to face her deterrence and stares with wide eyes into Margaret's warm inquiring ones.

"Where are you going, Elizabeth? Don't you realize we have somewhere important to be?" The tone is soft, but with a fond exasperation as Margaret begins to tug the unclothed Goddess towards the exit of the realm. In her other hand is a simple, short dress which she hands to the pouting younger. "And will you please put this on?"

Elizabeth does so once her wrist is free, inwardly huffing as she slips the material up her figure already hating the way it brushes against her skin. They depart the Celestial Realm in a buzz of magic that washes over them in gentle currents. Only then does Elizabeth voice her question, not recalling where they could be going that's more important than her visit to see the apathetic demon. "And where are we going?"

Margaret laughs a mirthful tune as she flies blithely beneath the clouds. "You really don't remember?" When Elizabeth shakes her head with creased brows, Margaret grins just a little wider. "We're going to the "Farewell" party that takes place before the two week festival of life, remember? The lovers of the mothers and wives are spending their last night together before they're not allowed to see each other until after the festival is over."

Elizabeth's eyes widen in remembrance as her mouth forms a small circle. ' _Of course! How could I forget? This is the most important time of the year for the Goddesses of Life and it's truly a great time, but…'_ Her eyes look to the distance where lights of bright oranges and yellows light the sky from the fires of the festivities and a tiny frown pulls down her lips. _'But I would much rather be with Meliodas, as crazy as it sounds.'_

"Come Elizabeth! Things have already gotten underway!' Her sister calls already a distance ahead of her, more excited than Elizabeth has seen her in a while. And why wouldn't she be? This is a time of celebration and relaxation for the Goddesses of life as well as mothers and wives from all over Britannia.

So Elizabeth stores away her built up longing for Meliodas and hurries after Margaret. When they reach the celebration, a large town used every year, built up from the land itself to incorporate the forest it's surround by, the first thing Elizabeth is assaulted by is the sheer volume of everyone in attendance. There are people strumming acoustics, clapping, laughing, and squeals all over. Her feet land gingerly on the ground as she stares around in awe taken away once again by how everyone can come together in such joy even though things are becoming difficult all over the lands.

She sees men gently cradling the mothers and wives as they twist them in circles to the beat of the music. And the women look _ecstatic_. Their cheeks are flushed, their hair disheveled from the wind and moving and dancing, and they simply look happy. Like every time the man caring for them so much as brushes a hand along their skin, they're filled with a kind of emotion that can't truly be described.

Elizabeth feels unease settle in her chest, like a pressure that won't budge. She turns her eyes away from the blissful souls and offers a strained smile to her sister Margaret.

"Elizabeth, let's dance! It looks like so much fun!" The lavender haired Goddess is already pulling on her arm, guiding her to the throng of lively bodies, that Elizabeth admittedly wishes to join. She already sees Goddesses fearlessly twirling and shrieking in laughter in their own little group near a large bonfire popping oranges, yellows, and reds. But again that tight feeling in her chest comes when she sees a man press his lips to a woman's and Elizabeth almost want to scamper off alone, to maybe come back the next day when the men won't be around.

Another hand lands on her shoulder, stopping her from following Margaret's lead for the moment. Elizabeth turns startled blue eyes to face the female with kind eyes and a wide friendly smile who offers Elizabeth a smooth wooden mug. "You look a little down?" The woman blinks blue eyes so dark, like the sky at night, at Elizabeth as she tilts her head to the side. "Maybe this can cheer you up a bit? My husband's been sneaking these all night and now he's practically the life of the party!" She indicates to the man being cheered on as he shoves his mouth full of one food after another, the goal apparently being how much he can consume and how quickly, Elizabeth gathers.

Elizabeth peers into her mug seeing a deep red liquid that smells sharp and sort of sweet before giving the pregnant woman a grateful smile.

She waves it off before Elizabeth can even verbally respond. "It's no problem. The Goddesses of Life are truly a gift from the heavens." With a sweet smile, the woman wanders off.

Somehow those words don't make Elizabeth feel any better. She doesn't give it a second thought when she brings the liquid to her lips, quickly taking two gulps before Margaret has time to sound a protest.

"Elizabeth, you know alcohol is _not_ something we Goddesses drink," The sharp tone doesn't reach her surprisingly. Already the mix of fruits in the ale is beginning to slowly but surely seep through her veins. Elizabeth decides instantly that she likes it.

"But this was created of the berries grown from the earth, was it not? I do not see a problem then." She tells her sister with a tiny smile over the rim of her mug and recklessly downs the rest of it in deep swallows.

Mocha eyes narrow, but before her sister can get any angrier, Elizabeth pulls her towards their dancing sisters and starts up a sway with full bodied movements. The night is a warm one especially with so many around and hearing the beat of the music sailing through the night air simply makes her want to _move_. Although as she and a few of her sisters twirl around each other with growing peals of laughter, she's sure it has more to do with the alcohol than anything.

She can hear her heart thumping in her ears as a tingle of relaxation flows through her limbs. She raises her arms to the air, as she sways her hips, feeling the music run through her. Her sisters gasp and some giggle like they know a scandalous secret, but she ignores them, as she lowers her hands slowly and reopens her eyes, having not realized she'd closed them at all. She spies someone walking past her group carrying more delightful mugs and she snatches one with a cheerful, "Thanks!"

Of course as the tempo of the music increases and her sisters start jumping, Elizabeth hurries to finish off her next drink now starting to feel dazed and a little freer. Again and again as she grasps hands in spins and hops in mind whirling turns, she sees men and women pressing their lips together, holding each other, and touching. _In love_. And Elizabeth finds her eyes closed as her skin dampens in perspiration, her mind imagining him there with her being the one dancing with her instead of her sisters.

Her emotions that had been flowing like aimless waves, suddenly crash down on her harder than a tree as her lazy grin buckles, then cracks. "I want to be in his arms… to dance like them… his hands on my hips," she slurs with closed eyes as her body sways, this time drunkenly and one of her sisters gasps alarmed and catches her shoulders with smooth hands.

Elizabeth opens her eyes in slow blinks to see soft golden eyes peering into her concerned. "Elizabeth, are you alright?"

Suddenly the heat isn't driving, it's oppressive. The music isn't fulfilling, it's crushing her from all sides. Elizabeth shakes her head and allows a tired smile. "No, I'm just… a bit hot. I need to go sit down for a bit, Jericho."

A purse of lips and removal of hands. "Well, alright…"

Elizabeth tries not to stumble as her mind tips this way and that. She does not want anyone to follow her. Not when she's feeling like this. Another person swerves by her carrying a tray of tangy liquid and she clumsily grabs one before slinking off deeper into the forest for quiet, cool air and solitude.

She knows the alcohol isn't doing her any good as she drops her third empty cup on the forest ground, now feeling as if her feet have minds of their own and the world is full of twins and triplets of every kind. But it helps her not think. She can't truly focus this way. And she doesn't want to think. She doesn't want to focus on the fact that she won't be able to see Meliodas for an entire fortnight. She doesn't want to remember the ache that will grip her heart in her ribs as she's kept apart from him wondering if he's okay, if he's hurt, if someone managed to strike him down while she's confined to the festival of life.

No, it's easier to not think about those things when she's too busy struggling to remain standing, stumbling her way through the woods towards a feeling. She's not exactly quiet in her approach. Far from it. So the sounds of quiet laughter and soft rustling instantly hush long before she trips over a cluster of bushes and shrubbery with a loud yelp. The world is especially dizzy, spinning in slow circles as she climbs to her feet and peers through the dark shrouding the woods at the wiry male figure. His eyes are what she sees first. Wide, dark, and narrowed on her.

She hardly gives her eyes a chance to focus more, or her mind to even think about self-preservation before she's launching herself unsteadily into his chest with a slurred, but no less adoring, _"Meliodas!"_

Hands settle on her shoulders, hesitant and tense, but she only presses closer, hoping that her mind will still for this moment. "Meliodas, y-you're," her face brushes against the unfamiliar fabric of clothes against his shoulder and her brow creases, "you're wearing clothes," she mumbles as her arms close around his back, the alcohol now running through her like an unstoppable influence within her veins. "I always thought that… that you didn't wear them because you liked being free, like me!" she giggles and her knees buckle a bit and the hands on her shoulders move to grip her arms. "But I'm wearing clothes right now too, so I guess we're both being confined tonight."

He jerks her away and she closes her eyes tightly as her mind moves too fast for her. She can tell at least that he's sitting her down and instantly she leans against him praying for more of his warmth and closeness. "I'm s-sorry," She starts off shaky as a hand rises to clench the material at his chest, her head hidden in his shoulder as her emotions get the best of her, "You don't even know me, but I… I love you," she says it with such certainty. Even as the words drag from her mouth she feels a wetness begin to dampen the corner of her eyes from her volatile emotions. She fights to hold them in practically sensing the sky swelling with clouds. "I know it's true. _I know it._ I l-love—"

Suddenly a series of lurches start up in her stomach and she pulls back not sure what to do as she grips her stomach and her mouth. But another set of hands, these smooth and dainty, quickly grab her shoulders and lean her over a log as she starts to expel the contents of her stomach roughly. Breath ragged, and feeling more than woozy afterwards as sweat crowds her brow, Elizabeth allows the woman to straighten her out all the while feeling as if she's sinking in a whirlpool of despair.

"Are you the woman from before," She begins, lips hardly moving, not looking up to see through the darkness or her dizziness as the alcohol begins to pull at her consciousness, "the one that he placed his mouth against before? Does he… does he love you instead?" It's not something she ever really let herself think of. But now finding him having been clearly alone with her again, shouldn't it be obvious? The woman's hands freeze on her shoulders and Elizabeth can tell she's about to say something. But suddenly Elizabeth is tugged into a chest and held tightly just as a few tears squeeze through her eyes and slip down her cheeks. "Meliodas, do you love her, even though I love you?" She implores in a tiny voice shaken by the beginnings of doubt and heartbreak.

Her eyes fall shut before any answers can come.

~.~.~

She's aware of her body being lifted and voices speaking over her, but Elizabeth believes herself to be in a dream.

"I can't believe I did that. I don't look that much like my brother," a male voice comments, annoyed.

"It was the right thing to do, Zeldris. She was clearly distressed." the woman responds in a more understanding tone.

"Yes, because she's hung up over Meliodas of all people." Zeldris scoffs in clear disbelief.

"She's clearly in love… and hurting." The woman points out.

"Gelda as far as I know Goddesses of Life aren't supposed to even understand love. There is something… _wrong_ with this situation." Zeldris surmises.

"That may be true," Gelda agrees, "but love has a funny way of presenting itself. Look at you, a demon who's married to me and gave me the life growing inside of me."

Zeldris grumbles something seemingly embarrassed before responding, "You are right. Maybe this Goddess could be good for my brother?"

Gelda laughs knowingly. "With the right woman, any man, or demon, can change their tune. You certainly did. Now sit her right here and go back. I'll go get someone to carry her back to the festival."

At this Elizabeth's dream starts to become fuzzy as her body is shifted and lain carefully upon the ground. Before she knows it she falls into a deeper sleep.

~.~.~

Elizabeth had woken up the next day with no memories past her first drink. But there was a woman that she recognized at the celebration of life. It was the woman she'd given a blessing at the creation of new life with blond plaited hair. She ended up being cared for by Elizabeth during those two weeks. Elizabeth had been delighted to discover her name was Gelda and that woman was in fact a vampire! They'd grown close, but even stranger, there was a certain look that Gelda would sometimes give her, deep and understanding, that Elizabeth for the life of her could not comprehend.

In those two weeks, battles had continued across the lands and demons had even tried to find their way to the large swelling of Goddesses gathered in one area. But the Goddesses of Battle were strong and persistent, this time not taken so unawares in their defense. They had also had to aid of giants, fairies, and humans alike.

So the two weeks had passed relatively peaceful and invigorating for all the women gathered together. A blessing in and of itself, though that did not stop Elizabeth's thoughts from wandering to Meliodas every chance she had. So it is no shock when the evening of the final night of the festival arrives where everyone goes their separate ways, that Elizabeth becomes a streak through the air after she says goodbye to her charge. She's been dying to see Meliodas, filled with such an ache staying away any longer will most likely crush her under.

The darkness she seeks is instantly latched onto in her mind, hastening her movements through the air until she stops dead. He's below her, asleep near a river and an extinguished fire. The thought trails through her mind as she absentmindedly hides her presence, why it is he seems to have eaten alone. Usually he eats with his comrades even if he does tend to wander off on his own afterwards. So what made him choose differently this time?

The question is not nearly as important to her as she touches down in a bed of forget-me-nots that sprout excitedly around her and consequently next to him, because, _finally_ , she's with him. Elizabeth's breath stutters as she peers over him, scared of finding a possible new abrasion healed over from the time she last saw him. But his skin lightly tanned and curled partially in darkness has the same few markings as before, looking to be just as smooth and warm and _inviting_ as ever.

Elizabeth gives into her urge and throws herself atop of him only she's saddened to find in her present form she simply goes through him. So instead, she straddles his body with her hands and legs on either side of him as her eyes roam across his face so close to her own. It's there she notices the difference in two weeks, dark bruises under his eyes from lack of sleep, and an overall weariness in the sag of his expression.

"Meliodas?" She whispers suddenly distressed as her power reaches out to him, soothing and gentle, hoping to take any exhaustion away wherever she can find it, whether it be in his muscles or his mind.

His breath comes out sharp, but he remains asleep as her power works through him. Though he does end up whispering drowsily, the first time she's ever heard, in his slumber. "...are you?" She watches in fascination feeling how her power runs just under his skin like sparks as he takes a slow breath, "Where are you… my…" he falls silent. He does not say more.

She lets her power coil back inside of her as she regains a physical form when she's sure he's fallen into a deep restful sleep. Elizabeth lies right beside him her face right next to his as she ponders his words. Perhaps that's why he could not sleep. He misses someone. But who? Elizabeth does not let the thought linger too long as she reaches up to brush strands of hair from out of his eyes, feeling safe to stay with him for once now that he's at ease. Her hand slides to his stomach, the skin tough yet warm, where it settles right over a heartbeat. She presses her head into his shoulder as her heart swells and her stomach flips pleasantly.

This is how she wants to fall asleep every night.

~.~.~

Sunlight attempting to pry through her eyelids is what awakens her. Though she's certain from how comfortable she feels she wouldn't have woken up for anything else otherwise. Elizabeth gradually peels open her eyes to the persistent light and nearly squeaks at the face so close to hers. He's asleep. Actually sound asleep by the depth of his breathing, which is the only reason she doesn't jerk back and flee with how quickly her heart is beating in shock. He must have turned in his sleep, his body now facing hers as his arm drapes over her waist.

 _'Oh heavens…'_ She shivers at the tingles his weighty arm over her sends sharp along her nerves. She nearly lets herself fall into his hold, a dream come true, but notices how much more restful his visage looks and knows that her presence alone could send him into wakefulness. So with regret she slides carefully from under the limb and begins to turn her back…

A tugging deep inside of her keeps her from leaving just yet. Elizabeth looks down at him, twirling a lock of her hair nervously around a finger as she eyes the completely calm way his face relaxes in sleep, again overcome by just how utterly sweet the demon most fear truly is. A soft blue catches her eyes and she remembers the forget-me-nots. "Of course!" She exclaims softly.

Out of all the things she imagined doing with her hands and his body, she hadn't thought the first thing that would occur was her taking the flowers that bloom naturally around them in order to weave them into a crown she then places onto his golden hair. She sighs as her fingers skim through the strands of hair that fall in front of his ear thinking he looks rather cute with her addition.

Warmth flowers in her cheeks in the form of soft pink, but before the fluttering emotion overwhelms her a sharp sound of footsteps approaching drains all the color that had formed. Elizabeth jerks back from Meliodas and darts into the trees already becoming incorporeal, while silently praying that no one sensed her.

"Meliodas! We must be going!" The listless call seems to rouse Meliodas. It's one of his comrades she knows, the one with grey hair similar to Meliodas.

Elizabeth thinks it's best for her to leave while she still can undetected and nearly does so when she remembers. _The flower crown._ Her eyes fly to Meliodas in a panic as she silently screams. He's already sitting up with the crown placed delicately on his head, him none the wiser to the situation, when the tall hulking demon steps through the trees. She can see the cross of confusion and amusement as he looks upon the blond and it nearly strangles her with fright. "What is that on your head?"

Meliodas who had taken to standing stops and raises an eyebrow. "What?" He lifts a hand to his head and the moment his fingers touch the flowers something flares in his eyes, like when a shooting star lights across the sky; it's fleeting, but a sight to be cherished, one that she's sure only she noticed. Gingerly he takes the crown off of his head and stares at it in his palms, then down at the flowers grown all around him. Her heart thuds in excitement and wonder. Does he know they're from her? She casts her eyes away at the silly conclusion. He doesn't know her. Of course he wouldn't jump to such a conclusion. But still, the look in his eyes in that moment… She'd swear he was almost tranquil.

"I don't know how they got there. Perhaps I was visited by an angel." His tone is bland as he addresses the other, but his eyes refuse to leave the flowers.

"An angel? Surely you jest?" The taller laughs at the thought.

"I suppose." Meliodas doesn't share in the laugh. "You said we must be going, so let us move on then."

The other takes the order and leaves the way he came, but Meliodas stays for a moment longer his fingers running over the crown. And Elizabeth knows herself hopeful, but she imagines that very same gesture to be his thumb across her cheek, sweeping gently. She sees his lips move, his words too soft for her to hear and then he places the crown down. Then he follows after the other demon where she has to let him disappear.

She knows he couldn't take the crown with him, and she's okay with it, because for whatever reason Meliodas seemed moved by it. And the simple fact that she could make him feel better in any way is like breath of fresh air; it's starting to become her new necessity.


	4. I'm Your Fantasy

We're already halfway finished with this story!

* * *

 **~4~**

 **-I'm Your Fantasy-**

The next time, she discovers him at night. Usually her sisters enjoy going out and attending human festivals and celebrations where they offer blessings. And Elizabeth normally joins them, having fun dancing and playing with her sisters throughout the night. But that evening she feels antsy and she can't figure out the reason why.

That is until she follows the tug of energy inside of her. She tells her sisters something is urging her to leave and she must follow it. Margaret and a few others surround her in a hug before she departs. The night air is chilly against her skin, but all the more refreshing after all the dancing. She doesn't quite know where she's headed and after speeding against the wind she winds up in a part of Britannia that's clustered with decrepit structures and overgrown vegetation.

She hovers outside of the area for a bit wondering why she would be needed there. The plants are more than healthy even if the homes that once stood here are unsuitable for living any longer. So what could—?

A creek on the inside has her jerk back midair in surprise. After several beats, no other sounds follow, so she hesitantly drifts closer masking her presence by becoming incorporeal. It's easy to see once she flies through the opening in the collapsed building why she was needed here. Meliodas lies in a fitful sleep, covered in a few deep gashes that pool crimson beneath him. She sees his darkness stretching across his wounds sluggishly mending his torn skin and muscles.

All pretenses of concealing herself are forgotten the moment her bare feet touch the wooden floor. Elizabeth stumbles forward falling to her knees at his side to take over the healing process without a second thought. She's never been urged to help a demon. But she knows it must be because she's attached to him that seeing him hurt as he is now causes tears to well in her eyes as light rain drizzles in from the hole in the roof above.

Elizabeth sniffles as she places a hand first on his chest where the deepest abrasion lies. A swirl of light emits from his chest before her power sinks in and closes the wound. She sees more bloody gashes on his right arm which she brings a finger to trail down. A path of light follows eagerly, warm and tender as it eases his pain. At last she sees a swollen bloody cut on the corner of his mouth and her breath sticks right in her throat. The simple way would be to lightly bring her finger to it and her power would heal it easy, but Elizabeth focuses intently on his mouth as her heart sounds loudly in her ears. She leans towards him, eyes hooded in focus as she thinks of love, Meliodas, and wanting to know if this is truly what it's like.

Just when she feels his breath against her mouth a stray tear slips from her cheek and lands on the wound. Of course it seals up instantly and she pulls back with flustered cheeks and slight disappointment. But then she realizes as his breathing comes out easier that she's just relieved that he's okay.

He shivers before the emotion can become too great and her teeth sink into her lip in regret. Her emotions caused the rain and now he could end up sick because of her. Flicking blue eyes around the old, decaying room, she spots an old bed that should work to get him out of the rain and sleeping more comfortably. Eyes bright with her plan, Elizabeth leans down with shaky hands and places them on his shoulders. The heat he gives is nearly entrancing and she almost lets her hands roam freely across the firm muscles under taut skin as her breath becomes shallow. But she pushes the idea away and instead attempts to grip under his arms to pull him towards the bed. She only succeeds in straining her back.

Rubbing the sore area, Elizabeth looks at him through a scrunched expression. "Okay... Something else then. I promise I will help you, Meliodas," she assures softly like the gentle spray of rain above.

The area is rather destroyed with the wooden floor hardly holding up. So she lays a hand flat and summons a number of sunflowers to spring upwards slowly beneath Meliodas. With the strength of her magic she has them lift him and make a path towards the bed, passing him off to another grouping of flowers like hands would, until they reach the bed. That's when the tricky part comes.

Elizabeth with her blue eyes glowing just the slightest from her magic stands by where Meliodas hovers on the flowers near the bed. She thinks things over for a bit before deciding to push him slowly onto it. Instead of landing on his back as she thought he would, he falls face first with a small bounce. She yelps as the sunflowers recede and goes to shove him over hoping she didn't accidentally hurt him. His eyes are still closed and he appears not to be harmed, but she presses her ear to his chest anyway, just to be sure.

Strong beats reverberate against her ear, multiple ones to be exact. She takes in a quiet breath at this truly amazed at the difference between she and he. She goes to climb in the bed to explore a bit more, certain that if he hadn't awoken yet from that mishap he wouldn't from her listening to his chest. Her hands small and soft land on his shoulders, one bare and the other covered in cool black, when he rolls. She squeaks as his arms encircle her waist and he settles on his side with his head above hers.

She's terrified he's awake, certain he's discovered her. But Meliodas remains still and his breathing even. Elizabeth shivers as she realizes how close they are, there skin pressed together tightly. A swooping sensation goes through her stomach when she thinks of how he's holding her like couples tend to. She breathes in deeply smelling his scent as her eyes close. He smells a bit like the woods and crisp like the alcohol humans delight in. She sighs while resting her head against his chest. She should go. She can easily escape his hold by becoming incorporeal once more but...

The sound of his hearts lull her to sleep.

~.~.~

When she next stirs in consciousness she notices an unhurried motion of fingers through her hair, and a body hovering over hers. She stifles a yawn and tries to move her arms but her wrists are held together tightly in a rough palm above her head. She opens her eyes blearily thinking back on the previous night's events.

The piercing black eyes that meet her gaze brings it all right back. Elizabeth chokes and tries to wiggle out of his hold. Her wings frantically writhe beneath her as she makes sounds of distress. She attempts to release her magic so that her form can dissipate, but something in his hand around her wrists, his power maybe, is keeping her whole.

"Calm down." He orders after watching and withstanding her display for a few moments.

But Elizabeth's chest is too tight with worry of what he can do to her.

His eyebrows lower in exasperation. "If I wanted to hurt you I would have done so when you tossed me face first on this bed."

She stops cold, her eyes wide.

A tiny knowing smirk appears on his face. "Did you really believe me to be so unawares?"

"I…" She trails off in a tiny voice. She swallows to try and regain a bit of her strength in her meek tone. "So you let me sleep in your arms?" Now her heart flutters sweetly in her chest.

His expression goes cold like it was numbed by ice. "You keep showing up, Goddess. I want to know who you are and what you want with me." He presses and their eyes hold.

She clenches and pulls at her hands in his grip as her chest pushes up against his. She finds no escape in the way he's locked above her like a firm wall of heat. "I'm…" She breaks eye contact finding it too intense for her to think. She can't tell him the truth of what she wants with him... Can she? "I'm a dream, a-a fantasy," she stammers out weakly. Her cheeks flush at knowing he won't believe such an obvious falsehood.

But he breathes a quick laugh as a grin curls his lips. "Really now?" He shifts atop of her, hips sliding lower, his head going to her neck where she feels his breath fan across her skin enticingly. "So that means I can do anything I want with you?" Before she can ponder the meaning behind his words, she feels his lips press just under her ear and her gasp comes out loud at the bolt that jumps through her. He keeps his mouth to her skin hardly breaking contact as he sucks a trail sluggishly down her neck. Elizabeth's eyes become cloudy as her breathing stutters and her body arches against his just the slightest. _'He's doing what I saw before...'_

Meliodas presses his mouth firmer to a spot to her neck, and then she feels his teeth nip roughly at her flesh. Before she can even jerk away his tongue is soothing the area in unhurried strokes. Elizabeth's eyes fall closed as she shudders and she makes a breathless noise that's definitely pleased. Her body slowly rocks up between his legs as her pulse quickens and she gradually becomes hotter. He rocks down into her in reaction as his mouth meets her shoulder.

"You certainly are lovely, my beautiful fantasy…" He mummers throatily against her skin and she makes another higher pleased sound in response.

She has to know what he's doing with his lips. She simply must know. "C-Can I ask what you're doing?" Elizabeth inquires in a soft voice as her thighs press together against a growing throb.

Meliodas pauses with his lips on her collarbone. And she rushes on as her eyes reopen. "P-Please?"

"I'm kissing you."

"Kissing?" She whispers tentatively. Heart leaping in elation now that she knows the word, she continues on heedlessly just as he places a kiss on her breastbone, "Meliodas, are you loving me as well?"

The demon stills like rushing water suddenly frozen in place. But she doesn't notice as her voice takes on a dreamy coating, sounding light and fluffy as she breathes, "Because I l-love—"

His body defrosts, loosening his grip around her wrists. The freedom brings her mind back into place and to the weight of her words. Nerves plunge recklessly in her stomach as he starts to move, to lean back to stare her in the eyes. But she's already giving into panic, slipping into the plane of the unseen before she can see his reaction to what she nearly confessed.

 _"Wait!"_ His call is fruitless as she flies from the collapsed structure.

She'd gotten so close to him, closer than she ever thought she'd be allowed. And he'd kissed her! Not on the lips, but still... It brought feelings she'd never experienced before to her being. He'd held her in his arms too. She wants to believe that he loves her, that _that's_ what love is. But she's uncertain.

A frown darkens her face as she draws closer to the Celestial Realm. "How am I to know what love is? I am not a Goddess of Love like I greatly wish to be. I only see it in others and have senseless guesses. How can I know that I love him and he loves me?"

Only the gentle chirps of the birds and the wind surround her. An answer does not reveal itself at her plea.


	5. The Promise

The cover art is based off a scene in this chapter! In fact that very scene is one that I was very excited to write. I hope you all enjoy it overall!

* * *

 **~5~**

 **-The Promise-**

For the next few days Elizabeth watches Meliodas from a safe distance. She sees him in battle for the first time this way. She knew he and his brethren brought death to the world. But seeing his battles and hearing stories of them were very much different she had come to learn. His kinsmen are cruel, unnecessarily so. They cut and tear off limbs, rip and shred flesh. His fellow demons feed off the pain and suffering of those they viciously murder.

Meliodas however is different. He brings death swiftly and silently. He's precise in his movements, lethal in his strikes. And yet you never see him coming. You never know what he's going to do next. She's not sure if he enjoys what he does. His face is always so cold, so indifferent, covered in splatters of blood. Her soul aches at the loss of life at each of these battles, but it positively weeps whenever he's wounded. He never winces. He never makes a sound. He continues to fight on fierce, unwavering, almost majestic in his task, until it's all over.

When he's left alone with the silence that usually follows, a ripple of unreadable emotion usually passes over his eyes and a crinkle forms near his lips. Then his expression dulls once more and she can only watch him disappear after his kinsmen.

It's at these times when she wonders if her longing for him should shift. If she should hate him for what he does. She only feels a deeper wish to know what goes through his mind however and this confuses her more.

After getting no closer to coming to an answer to what love truly is, she decides to ask someone.

Elizabeth first throws on a soft blue dress even though the material on her skin greatly displeases her. Then she sets out in the heavenly realm in search of her sister Margaret. The Goddesses of Life have been extremely busy with trying to keep the vitality of Britannia flourishing during the war, so many of her sisters often spend more time on the middle ground than the Celestial Realm as of late. Luckily Elizabeth finds Margaret seated near a gleaming fountain eating from a bowl of various fruits.

Hoping that her clothed appearance will help soften the lavender haired goddess to her question, Elizabeth takes a seat next to her in the firm clouds. "Good afternoon, Margaret!"

Margaret eyes light up as her cheeks crinkle against her smile. "Good afternoon, Elizabeth. You look lovely today."

Elizabeth looks down, her hair falling on either side of her face as her skin warm considerably. _'You certainly are lovely, my beautiful fantasy...'_ The words echo like a pleasant shock along her skin, and she swallows. "Thank you."

"Did you wish to share?" Margaret offers her bowl of fruit.

Elizabeth looks up and feels her stomach is much too filled with beating wings to eat. "No thank you. I actually wanted to ask you about something..."

Margaret's eyes train on her gently. "Sure. Go ahead."

Now Elizabeth breathes deeply like she does before taking a plunge in a lake. "I want to know what love is, please?"

"Elizabeth..." The tone is a familiar one used when Elizabeth is doing something wrong and Elizabeth automatically shrinks in on herself. "We are not Goddesses of Love, so that emotion does not pertain to us." At the sunken posture Elizabeth takes, Margaret continues in a soft tone. "I did hear them speaking of it once though. They said love is like the ultimate sacrifice."

Elizabeth draws out of her shell with hopeful, eager blue eyes. "Why is that?"

"They said it's because you give your heart away with the risk of it being broken. If you're willing to take that risk then you can possibly gain the other's heart in return." She looks to Elizabeth with stern chocolate eyes used to stamp out any bad ideas that threaten to sprout in the younger. Little does she know they've long since grown and taken root. "Love is not for us to understand, Elizabeth, so don't go trying to make any sense of this, understand?"

Elizabeth nods demurely even as her mind careful tries to piece what she knows together. "Yes sister."

She makes up an excuse to head down to Britannia alone. She wants to think of what she has learned, of all she knows and has felt. Elizabeth flies gently in the early evening, the sun low in the sky casting a cozy tone over the world. She knows where she's headed, a small little place in the woods that she's been hundreds and hundreds of times.

When she gets there flying over the area in a circle once before landing on light feet, the abundance of forget-me-nots that grow in the area puts a comforting smile upon her face. She plops down in the grass and lively flowers, then lets herself fall onto her back. Her hair forms a silver halo around her and her wings spread gently beneath her. With the clouds drifting above her like leaves atop a slow stream she finds her thoughts come easy to her.

Her feelings have been so different as of late. Not only have they shifted with her ties to the life around her, but they've been affected greatly by her attachment and longing for the demon, Meliodas, something that's never happened before. She's never met a person quite like him before. And kissing, holding, and this sacrificing of hearts is something she wishes to do with him. She wants to be tied to him the way humans are to each other. Her sisters would say she's being irrational and plain crazy. Wanting love with a bringer of death of all things? But Meliodas is something different. Meliodas is something more. She just knows it.

"I know what I'm feeling is true. _I just know it._ " she sighs as her eyes fall closed.

However a sensation washes over her. No a power she's grown familiar with over the past several weeks and her eyes flash open. "Meliodas…" But where? She climbs to her feet and hesitantly squeezes past a few trees in order to begin pressing deeper into the woods. When she notices another energy with Meliodas' though, Elizabeth decides it's best she hide her presence and does so by easing a bit of her power outward, losing her physical form in an instant.

It takes only a few minutes, but she eventually comes upon two voices and she ducks behind a tree near a cluster of bushes. Her hearing just catches the tail end of a question.

"—a woman stalk you before?" Elizabeth listens closely at hearing Meliodas' voice, wondering what the conversation could be about.

A bark of laughter follows his words and someone with a casual drawl responds with skepticism. "You find this a concern, brother? Simply grab her up and take her to bed. That is what she wants I'm sure."

 _'_ _Brother?'_ She silences her wonder and listens once more for Meliodas' retort. "I don't think it's that simple. She's... different."

"How so? Do you not want her presence? Be rid of her then or have one of us take care of it." His brother carelessly concludes.

"Don't misunderstand. I do want her. I would have had her, but… She claimed love and I…" Meliodas lets out a frustrated breath and Elizabeth's skin chills in realization. _'He's speaking of me. But I… I don't understand…'_

"Love?" The word is a harsh grate. "She can't be serious."

"Don't you think I know that?" Meliodas hisses lowly and Elizabeth withers inwards upon herself. "She ran off before I could question her further. Things are very complicated."

"There is always the option of elimination. Problem solved."

Now Meliodas laughs and it's downright cynical. "I thought you were the Commandment of Charity. What happened to your _compassion_?"

His question is clearly rhetorical, but his brother answers anyway. "Now that holds an obvious answer, brother. You know I only care for your well-being."

Elizabeth's ears strain to hear the flat tone Meliodas takes. "I know. Which is why I would assume you would have had some productive advice for me regarding love."

"Y-yes, I—"

Meliodas cuts him off as bland and terse as before. "But you seem so intent on cutting down the obstacle rather than working through it like the rest…"

"Meliodas, let me—" His brother sounds almost stressed.

"Leave me, Estarossa."

Elizabeth holds her breath at how quickly the temperature dropped from just those three words.

Tense seconds pass as she strains her ears for some kind of motion. Eventually the sound of shuffling footsteps fading away allows her to let go of her breath.

But then Meliodas speaks again.

"You can come out now. I know you're there."

His sudden address goes straight through her as she stiffens like a cornered animal, eyes wide and wings quivering ever so slightly.

"No one else seems to notice, but you leave forget-me-nots wherever you go. So I know you're here. _Reveal yourself._ " He demands of her in a rigid tone.

Elizabeth breathes in quick gasps as she hides behind a tree, the only thing that stands between the two. He knows she's there, more importantly that she was _listening_. Is he angry? Does he wish to capture her again, like before?

"Come out," he tries again, this time firmer and more coaxing.

Her throat tightens a little around her swallow and she gathers her magic within herself once more. She bores her eyes into the cracks in the dark bark in front of her for what feels like seconds, minutes. Her heart bumps against her ribs, telling her to move. So she hesitantly leans around the tree, her torso bent as her hair cascades like silver rays towards her waist and she turns crystal blue eyes towards the demon she's been drawn to for weeks now.

He stands poised and drawn tight in his stance, his muscles seemingly strained. But the moment his eyes finally land on her, she notices a release roll through him. His eyes widen ever so slightly and the tension in his jaw even eases. The nerves racing through her taper off and replace with a sort of flutter that pulls her from behind the tree a little more.

They stand there face to face for several moments as his eyes roam over every inch of her clad in nothing but light and bearing purple tinted wings and she does the same to him, admiring the black swirls that mark his skin.

"I thought you were a dream," he ends the comfortable silence and she looks to his eyes to see them piercing right into hers. "Who wouldn't, waking up to someone so breathtaking above them? But I noticed those flowers," he nods to the ground at her feet where they're happily pooled around her dainty feet, "And you came to me that night. _You healed me_." He laughs and it's dry with disbelief. "Who are you… and what do you want with me?"

Elizabeth feels her wings twitch anxiously behind her as she keeps her eyes held to his. "I'm a G-Goddess of Life—"

" _I know what you are,"_ he cuts in with a wry smile that makes her feel small. "I want to know _who_ you are and _what_ you want with me."

Her brows crease and she finally looks down. "I'm Elizabeth…" She passes her name on the next breeze.

"Elizabeth…" He sighs and she almost thinks he's relieved.

But she keeps her head down, feeling her cheeks burn hotter and hotter in both nerves and fluster. "And what I want…" Her breathing stutters and her heart begins to miss beats. She lifts her head up and meets his gaze almost pleading. "Meliodas, I want to give you my heart."

Meliodas' body jolts as if shocked, then he stares with eyes that grow cold with incredulity. The look alone coils in her chest and strikes at her heart terribly. "You don't even know me. Why would you say such a thing?" Then his eyes narrow and his lips thin. Another strike and she feels her lips tremble, her nose burn. "What you said before, when I had you pinned, you were actually serious?"

"I—Y-yes," her voice breaks first.

He gives her a look that's almost withering as his muscles along his arms twitch with the curling of his fists. "A Goddess of Life doesn't know anything about love. Why would you expect a demon like me to be able to show you of all people?" He spits the words bitterly and turns his gaze away.

She feels her chest pinch and squeeze with a crushing ache as something shatters and tears begin to drip down her cheeks. She fails to hold in a sob as the sky grows darker, clouds curling tightly overhead as rain swells then pours at a steady pace. Meliodas' eyes look up astonished at the rapid change, before he turns to face her again, his expression unreadable as they both become slicked in water.

Elizabeth raises a hand to her chest curling it weakly as her shoulders shake with her silent cries. Instead of backing away or running and hiding in shame at his obvious refusal of her, she pulls in a slow breath and blinks past the rain and tears. "Meliodas, may I ask you for one thing, please?"

He looks at her under drenched bangs. His stare is unwavering. He does not speak.

She sniffs slightly and breathes after a tiny cough. "Can you show me what a kiss is like?" It's all she wants. It's what she's wanted for so long. And even though he does not love her, she can… she can still dream.

He stares once more longer and focused. She's sure he'll leave or maybe even worse; grow tired of her and end her life like a swift blessing of his own design. And when he begins to walk towards her, having not said a word, she knows that's what he intends. Elizabeth presses her back to the tree she once hid behind, her skin chilled with rain, her hair heavy with it, and she watches him draw closer and closer until there's not a gap between them.

She jumps when instead of tearing through her, his arm curls around her waist and tugs her to his firm torso. She shivers when his free hand goes to her cheek holding her in place as he leans up and places his mouth over hers. But it's not so simple, she realizes as her trembles still and her eyes fall shut. His mouth feels smooth, wet and so warm that she press closer as their lips begin to glide slowly together.

She thought she would burst with joy the moment his mouth touched hers, that she would burn hotter than the sun. But as he lets go of her mouth then captures her lips in the rain, time and time again, she simply feels cozy, like she's wrapped in a fuzz of warmth she doesn't want to crawl out of. As she gasps and clings to his shoulders then around them as he pulls her closer, leaning over her to kiss her firmer, she realizes love _is_ a sacrifice and it's also full of layers that's she's starting to understand.

They both gasp for breath when he pulls back, both their lips swollen and gleaming in the rain. She keeps her eyes closed for a while wanting to savor the feeling of a kiss and his arms around her for as long as possible. But then his hand on her cheek smooths down her neck, curls behind it, gathering in her soggy hair as he steals another kiss from her lips. She feels her knees weaken when his tongue dips between the seam of her mouth, curling slowly, before he pulls back with a shuddered breath of his own.

"Why am I… so drawn to you?" He asks, quiet over the pelts of the rain.

Elizabeth's eyes flutter open to see him looking over her face intensely, before meeting her eyes. She burns with his stare, mends with a new hope. "Maybe that's what love is, Meliodas. Wanting to be together and around each other constantly."

He looks dubious, but she continues on calmly with a smile touched by a growing love. "Maybe it's even more. What I do know for sure is that I want to discover it with you."

His fingers spasm around her flesh and she sees his teeth clamp together. "How could you want that from me? We are opposites. _Enemies_. I take life, you give it. We are at war, Goddess."

She brings a hand up to his wet hair and brushes his bangs away from his wavering eyes. "But you have not hurt me. Not once. I do not believe there is completely bad and good in the world. Look at me. I want to know more of something I shouldn't. And you—"

"You don't know me," he insists through his teeth.

But she stays firm. "I've watched you… You aren't as merciless as everyone believes."

She feels him shaking and thinks that his hold on her now is more for his benefit than hers. Eventually he lets out a breath, and matches her stare evenly. "Fine then. I will make you a promise, Elizabeth."

She gasps at this. Promises are sacred and binding among divine beings. Only certain instances make it so that those bound by a promise can break it. "O-okay."

"I promise to love you as long as you promise me that I will not lose you, Elizabeth." He says each word slowly and clearly so nothing is mistaken.

Electricity practically buzzes through her veins and she tries not to jump in her elation. "C-can I love you in return as well?" She nearly pleads.

His eyes, for the first time since she laid eyes on him, gain a soft sort of center as he nods. "Yes. Do you agree?"

"Yes! I-I promise to love you and that you will not lose me as long as you love me in return," She repeats with the amendment, her cheeks flushed with her smile.

"Good," he murmurs satisfied, then pulls her up in his arms once more and claims her mouth with an urgency that sears through her veins like sheer heaven.

She's never felt so light before—never when flying, not even when she's up in the Celestial Realm—as she does when he lifts her up and kisses her breathless.

~.~.~

Having Elizabeth in his life has become a sort of gift. Before all he had to look forward to was fighting, terrorizing, taking life where he could find it, but now he has her to make things more vibrant. To make things less dull.

He was not lying to her when he told her he thought she was a dream. He'd had his experiences with women. And they too were as mundane and predictable, as tiresome and pointless as the war he is practically leading. Nothing quite reached him in the Underworld or out of it. Not the engulfing feel of a woman nor the blaze of reckless battle.

He was a cold wall of observation. Gathering information, making the right moves, commanding, taking, never caring. Never feeling.

Then blue eyes in an angel's face had appeared above him and his soul had lurched as if given a fresh jab of life. And since then he's been slowly becoming hooked on her.

He certainly hasn't been able to forget about her. Not that she's let him.

His days became filled with a nagging sensation of eyes on him, hands on him, arms wrapped around him, but no one was there. He was certain. That's until he noticed the flowers. So whenever he felt a tickle of air along his skin that could be brushed of as natural, he thought of long silver locks that shone like shy radiance at night. Whenever he felt as if he was being watched, he thought of eyes as clear, innocent, and breathtaking as untouched water. And whenever he felt a pressure on his lips he imagined a rosebud mouth that he'd gladly swoop in to kiss for an eternity.

He thought he would go mad with waiting to see her again, this Goddess that refused to leave his graces. But then she appeared, lured by his wounded being and he leapt at the chance to hold her. He pounced on the chance to satiate his fantasies as she so helpfully put it. It was odd, how easily he fell into her allure. How, when nothing else had been able to, a Goddess drew out feelings of longing that only strengthened when she laid moaning beneath his lips.

But then her innocence had sprung up. Her desire to know of kissing and a desperation for love that had nearly overwhelmed him.

She'd fled afterwards, but he was left in tatters. Love? A fickle human emotion? What had a Goddess of Life wanted to do with such a thing? But then again, what had she wanted to do with him?

It became obvious to him when even as he fought, even as he shared company with his brethren, that hearing that one word had made it so the seed of her near constant perusal of him had begun to grow ideas, feelings, and wants like unwanted weeds. Love with his opposite. Someone he wouldn't lose.

But it was more than that, he knew as they had kissed in the rain of her creation. He takes and takes, but what he takes is never his to keep, to have as his own. This Goddess would be more than just his. She would also give him things he'd been lacking for ages. A heart she had offered. Perhaps that is what he needed. He promised her the same and he was bound to it. But he felt almost guilty for he was getting much more than she. She wants his heart, his love, and he'll give it. Even if it's cold, worn, dark, and withered.

He'll let her have all of what he's sure he doesn't have anymore to truly give.


	6. Loving Each Other

**~6~**

 **-Loving Each Other-**

Elizabeth heads down to Britannia a few days after her promise made with Meliodas. She's been itching to see him again since their parting, but skirmishes began sprouting up like wildfires and she's been weighed down with the efforts of trying to keep the spirits of Britannia going. It's also clear that Meliodas has most likely been apart of the clashes keeping the four race alliance at bay. Now that things have settled into a false sense of calm for the time being, Elizabeth slips from the Celestial Realm in the cover of darkness and begins sifting through energies in the air, searching for him…

She perks up in the air when she finds him by a spring and makes it her task to reach him. She hasn't been able to stop thinking about it, about their kisses, since they parted ways. Meliodas seemed so determined to have her and she thought for sure he would not after her confession. But from his kiss and the look in his eyes then she's sure he'll love her as she wanted.

Now all she needs to do is get to him.

Elizabeth flies as free and light as the wind, feeling the cool air brush through her feathers and tousle her hair refreshingly just as she spots the gleam of the spring in the moonlight with a spark in her eyes. She delves beneath the treelines and stops in the grass plush with forget-me-nots. Stepping forward with eagerness dancing wildly inside of her, she comes to an abrupt halt just before passing the last line of trees.

She sees Meliodas, but he is not alone. There is a creature, a four legged beast, with scales a faded moss. It sags at a lengthy few yards giving haggard breaths through the thick slits on its snout. The heat, she can feel it from where she stands, coming from each exhale it gives is much too cool. It looks at her wary, sick, with glassy amethyst eyes that pin her in place and scratches at her soul. The dragon's claws, black and chipped, scrape at the ground as it gives weak rumbles, low, pained with each spray of water Meliodas gives to its wounds.

Elizabeth's mouth opens and closes having not expected such a sight to be awaiting her when she arrived.

"He could really use your help right now." Meliodas prompts not having looked up from where he sits at the beast's wounded limbs, looking as if they were caught in some intricate snare before being cut loose.

"O-oh! Right!" Elizabeth squeaks and hurries over on shaky legs, eying the creature's sheer size, surely much taller and wider than she! But knowing that it's still most likely a little hatching from what she knows of dragons and how large they can become.

The deep purple eyes with speckles of blue and hints of green watch her slowly as she takes a seat by Meliodas' side. Taking a deep breath she brings a hand to the creature's belly and finds it hard, yet malleable in an intriguing way. "How did you find him…?" She breathes as she looks for the first set of nasty wounds she can heal up.

Meliodas washes bloody hands off in the spring and sets his eyes on her. She can see a sort of bitter rage suppressed deep within that makes his dark eyes look like a hellish storm. "I found him about to be hacked away at by a group of spineless humans. So I took it upon myself to free him."

She turns away from his silently enraged look, not wishing to ask more. She understands what most likely happened. And in a way she's grateful he saved this dragon; it proves once again that there's not simply all bad and all good. Elizabeth takes in a smooth breath and pushes her power into the suffering creature. She feels the warmth of her magic grow brighter where the deep slashes lie, piecing things back together with a tender touch the dragon deservers.

Her brows furrow as she concentrates, breathing just a bit harder as she makes sure everything is healed and everything is mended. When the light of her magic begins to dull, having found everything satisfactory, Elizabeth opens her eyes with quick breaths of exertion, happy to find the dragon's skin completely sealed and a much deeper shade of green.

It makes a sound low and jarring through her bones before it turns on limber limbs to face them. She sits up straighter unsure of it will decide to attack or not. But its eyes simply look at them. First Meliodas, then right through her. And she gasps in astonishment as it appears to press low to the ground in a bow of sorts, _grateful_. Then the dragon spreads scaly wings and takes to the air, leaving them behind with a parting croon.

" _Wow…"_ She's never had the chance to get close to a dragon before. And from the stories she's heard, they truly are as intelligent as they're made out to be! She turns to Meliodas, excited to share her delight with him, when the back of his hand smooths across her forehead. Her breathing catches in her throat as she keeps her eyes locked on his face that's impossibly calm, his eyes keen on her face. She hadn't noticed the sweat formed on her brow until he'd brushed it away. And now she feels a flowering of warmth take to her cheeks as he continues to gaze at her intently, his hand now going beneath her chin.

He leans into her like dragged in by a pull and again she's subjected to the feel of his lips over hers only this time, there's no rain to slow them down. He twists his mouth over hers, pulling and sucking at her lips until she whimpers, until she grabs ahold of his sides with quaking fingers. He's quick to follow up by snatching her up into his lap, forcing her to kiss back with just as much vigor and passion.

He pulls backs slightly to offer a raspy, "Thank you."

Her hands slide up his chest, her limbs lined with sparks at feeling his skin so smooth, so firm, so hot, before her fingers tangle in the thick strands of his hair. Her eyes look down into his, hazed over with a darker shade of blue. "You don't have to thank me. I hate seeing people hurt, Meliodas."

A rough noise comes from his throat and his mouth goes to her neck pulling a wet gasp from her parted lips. Oh, she wants him to kiss her… to kiss her all over. Is that right? Is that… normal? Elizabeth breathes raggedly mixed with soft luscious noises as he lavishes her neck in the attention she desires. But his lips keep traveling. Lower and lower they go, pressing nips on her collarbone that has her jerking just the slightest in his lap, and trailing his tongue down her breasts that makes her hips shift subconsciously as she gasps for breath.

She looks down when she hears his voice again through the blood pounding in her ears. She's almost as startled and flustered by his words than by what she sees of her skin. "You're beautiful, so beautiful… have I told you?"

He's looking up at her near her breasts—her breasts that are no longer covered in a soft light and completely bare to his eyes. And Elizabeth almost chokes on the pressure of his words, seeing her skin exposed, and the raw emotion of adoration that mix together and swell in her chest so suddenly as she squeaks, "Y-yes."

"Then I'll tell you again. And I'll keep telling you," he answers before planting a fleeting kiss on the rosy bud that peeks from her breast like a jolting tease that curls her toes, "again and again," he says rougher as he kisses the other longer and slower, rolling his tongue against it as she gives a shaky moan, "for the rest of our lives," he ends by pulling each flushed bud between his teeth.

Elizabeth whines as something throbs and moistens between her legs and she tugs gently on his hair. "P-please, let me love you too."

Meliodas gives a shuddered breath and removes his mouth from her breasts. She takes the opportunity to slide down his form so that her mouth presses more easily to his neck. Tentatively she presses her palms to his shoulders adding pressure so that he'll know to lean back. And he does. He lies back in the grass for her, his eyes rippling with a current of something wrought in desperation, trained entirely on her.

Elizabeth's throat becomes too dry to swallow from being under such a stare, her skin suddenly too hot for her to breathe as she straddles his legs. So she keeps her eyes away from his, bashful, and focuses on what she's wanted to do since she first saw him lying in that clearing in the forest.

She brings the pad of a finger first to his cheek, which is warm like embers. She strokes it with a thumb, before tracing along his jaw slowly, longingly. Her breath stutters as she flicks her eyes up hesitantly to his to find him still watching, still just as intense, and she softly groans as her thighs clench around his. She gives into her urge to lean forward and place her mouth to his jaw as her hands splay on his shoulders. He feels just as good against her mouth as he does beneath her fingers she realizes slowly as her lips suck a path down his throat.

When his hands grab her hips and sluggishly begin to slide up her sides, Elizabeth pushes herself up slightly to take in ragged breaths, feeling deep shudders go through her. _'N-no, not yet. I'm not finished yet. I s-still want to feel and kiss and l-love,'_ her determination threatens to crumble under the sparks of his touch, but Elizabeth brings herself to sit once more. And his hands fall to her thighs, slowly tracing them up and down in a hypnotizing fashion that makes her close her eyes and tilt her head back a bit as a tiny noise of pleasure scrapes her throat.

She can hear how out of breath Meliodas is, just as much as she when she finally reopens her eyes halfway and slides her hands down to his chest. Her hands are almost shaking as she traces his pert muscles on his torso, they feel so hot like the roar of a blaze. The tips of her fingers dip between the creases, tease down his sides as she hums, unknowingly, a provocative tune. Meliodas rolls his hips up beneath hers at this as she hears a hiss slip through his lips. And in doing so calls attention to the wet ache pulsing between her thighs as her body bends over his with a bit of a cry.

Something's there. Something's there that wasn't before and she can't seem to stop her hips from rocking against it as her eyes fall shut listening to the low throaty sounds that Meliodas makes. She grinds into his pelvis as something grips low in her belly tight, pulling her lips to his chest as she drags hot, panting kisses where she can.

"Elizabeth… _Oh, Elizabeth…"_ He huffs out the words, thrusting up against her with more heat.

She slips her arms around his back, feeling the toned muscles beneath strong skin and her body quivers, her kisses becoming more impassioned as his taste slides along her tongue.

She finds her tongue trailing along his chest as her lips swollen and sensitive stick tender kisses to his wonderful skin. She jumps when his palms smooth along her back, under her tightly pulled in wings, go along her jumping muscles, and right down to her bottom. She huffs out a breath and brings her hands around his sides to brace on his chest when he shows no signs of stopping. "Meliodas…. _M-Meliodas, ooh…"_

Her vision wavers just a bit as he goes to sit up, but keeps her angled right where he wants her, his hand refusing to go. She gazes downwards into his lap where his waist, she sees, is no longer curled with darkness. She's certain her face will combust from heat as she breathes rapidly at feeling his fingers slide between her legs which part further naturally. He builds on the sensation she's simply becoming intoxicated by as her hips rock and her voice rolls with steadily rising moans.

She hears Meliodas' breath touch her ear before his lips do and then he gives her the direction she needs as her body tightens and pulses, his fingers stroking her higher… "Lie down for me, Elizabeth."

Her chest quivers with the next sound of agreement she makes and Meliodas' fingers slip away, missed in an instant. But she sees a bit more clearly when her body lays in the cool grass and flowers around her. She notices how flushed her skin is and how there is no longer any light to cover her waist either. Her eyes move then to Meliodas whose gaze is full of longing and need as he parts her legs, but they're also soft like before, in their very center. And she latches onto that when he leans over her, his waist no longer hiding a part that's rigid, slicked, and as flushed as she.

When he kisses her, she lets her eyes fall shut, allowing him to take care of her as she knows deep in her heating belly that he will. She feels utterly safe as his arm wraps beneath her waist arching her body into his. And she melts into a blaze of pleasure as he starts to rub against her again dazing her mind and filling her blood with steady bolts. Elizabeth holds onto Meliodas when their bodies join slowly, oh so slowly as his lips run across her face, his words low and whispered easing her tension. And she discovers as their bodies begin to move, that there's a carnal layer to love as well.

She suddenly understands why Gelda clung so desperately to that man as Elizabeth does the same now with Meliodas, crying out softly as their bodies meet wetly, franticly. She moans lingering and loudly as he kisses her and caresses her wherever he can. Meliodas devours her mouth with a hunger she falls prey to as his tongue swirls in her mouth strengthening her own need for his flavor, for his kisses. Her fingers dig into his flesh, trailing down his back as heat coils and gathers, pulsing faster and threatening to shaker her apart. And he pins her down, determined to make the two one as she begins to wail against his lips, becoming impossibly wetter where they meet as she crashes into an explosive peak.

Meliodas slows atop of her, rolling his hips into her as he finds his glorious end inside of her. She pants as their bodies tremble slightly, still pressed together when he rolls to his side, pulling her in his arms with him. She clutches his shoulders, feeling the sweat that sticks to their skin that cools with the night air and the racing beats of their hearts as they tangle limbs in the quiet that follows.

When she feels his lips press kisses against her forehead she finds her voice, weak and a little raw, enough to ask him, "What was that?"

He trails a finger up her back and she shivers with a sigh. "I've been wanting to do that for so long. I couldn't help myself, Elizabeth."

She hums and nods, not the least bit disappointed with how that felt and how close she feels with him afterwards. "Can I stay with you like this tonight?"

He kisses her lips briefly. "Of course." He even shifts so that she lies atop of him and something inside of her melts in content.

His hands smoothing down her hair attempting to lull her to sleep make her fight it a little longer as she thinks of her wish to talk to him just a little more. "Meliodas… Can you tell me about yourself a little?"

His fingers don't stop their path through her hair; they wind up trailing down her back and soothing circles between her shoulder blades. "...What do you want to hear?"

She lifts her head enough to press a soft kiss on his chest before laying her head back down. "Tell me about your family. That's always good to talk about. I have so many sisters. How much family do you have?"

"Demons and Goddesses are created differently, Elizabeth. Demons are born in a more sinful manner. So I only have two brothers." he informs her lightly.

She yawns and rubs a hand along his stomach. "Really? So you all aren't born from a drop of sunlight like we are? Well," And she sounds a bit sheepish here as she hides her face more into his chest, "I was the only one born at night from moonlight."

"Sounds about right. You reflect its beauty well." He cuts in with an honest tone where she can tell he's grinning just a bit.

"Thank you," Elizabeth curls into him more as her cheeks dust with red.

"But no we aren't," he goes on in answer of her question. "My younger brother, Estarossa is in the war with me following my commands. I'm sure you heard him before." Her skin flushes hotter in embarrassment at the reminder. "But I also have an even younger brother, Zeldris, who's not apart of this. And I'm glad for that."

Now her wings twitch and she wants to sit up to look into his eyes to see if they match his change in tone, but she doesn't want to stop him from talking, finally learning more that goes on in his mind. "And why is that?"

"Zeldris is strong, amazingly so. He'd do well in this war, but he found something better than fighting." Meliodas tells her softly and she feels his fingers once again going to her hair, running through the strands. "He fell in love."

Her eyes widen and she struggles to breathe for a moment. "Like I did with you?"

He laughs lightly and the sound is tender, fond. She feels loved as he holds her close. "Yeah, like… like we both did for each other."

Elizabeth closes her eyes as his words pass through her in a pleasant wave. Then she turns her head up and presses a kiss beneath his jaw. She hears him swallow, then, "I don't want him to have to give that up. In fact, I… I want to put an end to this war so that you and I can be together without a threat hanging over our heads."

"Meliodas," Her voice wobbles a bit.

"I'm going to find a way, Elizabeth," he whispers fiercely before a kiss lands on the crown of her head.

She lets his words take shape in her mind as she closes her eyes, feeling hope that their future will be bright and filled with happiness as peace finally comes back to Britannia.

~.~.~

Elizabeth comes to on her hands and knees already sinking into the addicting carnal love she discovered the night before. Meliodas' mouth kisses her deeply between her legs from behind and she holds on to the blades of grass for dear life as her center begins to coil around a heat, ready to implode from the steady strokes of his tongue. But he pulls back just as her thighs fill with trembles and her heart strains near her ribs.

Gasping for breath in the early morning sun, Elizabeth feels Meliodas fill the place between her legs quickly after. And then the length of him glides into her so exquisitely those building convulses crash into her as she silently screams. He continues to rock into her through them as she twists and arches with verbal pleas. The peak from before wans and quickly builds once again as he runs his hands along the back of her thighs and in between them like thrums of desire going straight to her ravenous core. His sounds mix with hers just as needy and wanting as he leans more over her, going quicker, moving harsher as his hands slide under her and grip her breasts like they're his personal play things he's quite fond of.

She feels where they connect wetting her thighs as she gets hotter, feels her pulse beneath her skin beating harder as his hips pump faster between her quivering legs. Her eyes are glued shut, her jaw fallen slack, as she feels it, that sensation of burning satisfaction she never thought she would need so desperately about to slam into her again. Then Meliodas grunts and forces his hips down into hers with a groan of her name and she's rocked with full bodied crests of gratification again and again until everything gradually falls to a calm.

When he pulls from her, she notices something begin to ease along her thighs from her center before she flops on her stomach winded. Meliodas seems intent on following her though and she soon feels his lips along her rear moving up along her back. When his mouth reaches between her shoulder blades, the most sensitive spot between her wings, she arches into him slightly, one hand clutching the torn grass, with a soundless cry.

She can feel every drag of his tongue, every suck of his lips, the jolts along her nerves as his teeth nip her sensitive skin with each shuddered breath she gives. ' _It's wonderful',_ she thinks as her body twists just the slightest, but his body over hers holds her down like a captured animal. _'I never thought love could be this… t-this consuming.'_

Meliodas leans off of her a bit once he's satisfied with the mark to her skin he created, and she moves somewhat limp and gasping as he turns her over to lie on her back. The first thing she sees is his eyes, always his eyes. Wide, dark, and narrowed in on her with a heavy storm of things she doesn't understand and some things she _does_. Like that soft place that's grown stronger with life the more he's looked at her and talked to her and touched her. It's the same with her she's certain, the feeling of becoming completely enamored.

Meliodas doesn't say a word to her at first like her sisters usually would first thing in the morning. Instead he falls atop of her, bracing his weight on his palms pressed to the grass on either side of her, and steals her lips in a kiss, unhurried. It feels so deep how he slants his mouth over hers, making sure to swallow every sound she makes, every sigh she gives, and all the love she presents. Every nerve buzzes with the little pecks he places on her face then her lips as she calms from the passion of awakening.

But when he notices her even breathing and steady pulse, that's when his lips move along her neck. And it's easy for her eyes to stare up at the puffy clouds splashed across the sky dazed as the heat of his mouth moves up and down, trailing her neck, slowly shredding her thoughts away. Her only focus becomes the way he kisses her shoulder patient, gentle yet with just enough pressure, just enough aggression for her to feel her body gradually ache in wanting.

As Meliodas moves down her body, tickling her flesh with his hair while his mouth finds a heavy fascination with her breasts that pulls her fingers to the back of his head and wraps her thighs around his body, she thinks that he's doing his own exploring like she did with him before. And never before has she realized exploring could be so exhilarating, filling her belly up with a tension she fights to keep, but is coming to understand she'll always lose.

But Meliodas will always help her bring it right back.

Her cheeks flush so deeply at the thought, she pants and bends her body into his, shakily whimpering as his hands carefully grip her thighs. They go along them like rough strikes of a match and she becomes inflamed in her passion, her need, her love.

Meliodas places a kiss to the inside of her thigh. "Do you mind, Elizabeth, if we spend the day loving each other?"

She shivers like someone left out in a blizzard as her insides threaten to combust. "No. P-please, I want that..."


	7. Count Your Blessings

**Sorry this is so incredibly short! It's a lead up to the final chapter! We're almost there. Thanks so much for reading this far.**

* * *

 **~7~**

 **-Count Your Blessings-**

She returns to the Celestial Realm the next day floating on bliss. She's forced to wear clothing to cover the love bites and bruises of Meliodas' hands along her thighs. And the clothes hide the fact that her light continues to fade every time she thinks back on the previous day's touches and kisses, becoming wet between her thighs and the little buds on her breasts harden and rub against the material of her dress. As she uses her wings to carry her forward, her legs still a bit sore to do the trick for her, Elizabeth wonders if this is the reason why her sisters wear clothing too.

Elizabeth finds a place to land as her legs curl beneath her and for a moment she just lets herself think of her own blessings. The day before was as if she and Meliodas were the only two that existed. The two had become incredibly close as they spoke of whatever came to mind between passionate bouts. She felt safe and happy to tell him about all the things that excited her and fascinated her without feeling like he'd chastise or discourage her for it. And incredibly he listened as if every word she said was precious to him.

A few tears slip down her cheeks without her notices with the curve of her lips softening lovingly. She hadn't thought love would be this way. So fulfilling and overwhelming. Elizabeth knows that she's so grateful for Meliodas and that she'd give just about anything to keep him with her.

When a shadow crawls over her form, she looks up from the clouds billowing beneath her to see Margaret through her teary vision. "Elizabeth, what's wrong?" The concern is great in her friend's mocha eyes.

Elizabeth wipes her eyes while shaking her head, unable to maintain her elated smile. "I am fine. I'm just so happy, sister."

Margaret's thin eyebrows crease. "Happy? There is a great war going on. I don't understand." Something then passes over her eyes as they wander over Elizabeth's figure, but the silverette does not notice as her eyes remain filled with blissful flecks. "Elizabeth why are you dressed?" Margaret asks with a hint of suspicion to her tone.

Elizabeth's wings pull in tighter to her back as she thinks of obsidian eyes obscured by thick blond bangs. "I thought it was your wish for me to wear dresses more often?"

"Yes, but you were missing all day yesterday and I'm just concerned. You're happy which really shouldn't be concerning the state of the lands." Margaret attempts to pry.

Elizabeth finally looks up into Margaret's eyes and blinks simply. "I have hope that things will get better, that's all Margaret."

The lavender haired goddess searches Elizabeth's face for a while longer, before her shoulders relax. "Alright then, if you're sure you're okay."

Elizabeth thinks of the way Meliodas kissed her farewell and whispered his love before she set off this morning and nods. "I'm perfectly well."

"Then I shall be off, but I'll make sure to see you later. Things are not well in the war and I fear an even greater tragedy than what we face now will strike us soon."

Elizabeth gives a wave to her retreating sister as a curious sensation of unease tingles along the back of her neck. Could Margret be right? Rose lips purse as Elizabeth rises to her feet carefully with worrying thoughts beginning to surface in her mind. But someone steps in her path and she draws up short with a startled breath and astonished eyes.

A goddess with long raven hair and the thinnest gaze Elizabeth's ever been under stares her down. But that's not what causes Elizabeth to shift in awe and nervousness mixed. The goddess has big soft, downy wings a shade of light pink. Elizabeth instantly knows this to be a Goddess of Love. "M-may I help you?" Elizabeth timidly voices.

"You cannot fool me as you did her." The goddess goes straight to the point in a tone tight with impatience.

Elizabeth closes her mouth and stares in uncertainty.

"You know what I am, therefore you know I can easily tell the signs that you have been taken and loved thoroughly." The goddess with raven hair states matter of factly through a frown as she looks down on Elizabeth making the silverette swallow her protest and listen. "A Goddess of Life for one should not ever dabble in the likes of love. And most importantly you should _never_ have let someone love you in such a way."

Now Elizabeth's jaw tenses and she asks seriously as her heart beats in confusion, "But I thought Goddesses like you experienced such love."

"We do not," Elizabeth is corrected crisply as the goddess crosses her arms and lowers her eyebrows incensed. "We know of such love, but do not ever experience it because of the risks."

A tremble goes through her hands and she tightens them into fists to hide it. "What risks?"

Elizabeth sees her about to respond, but the sound of a sole voice carrying over the realm instills a hush over them all.

"Sisters! We have just learned that the demons are attacking the stronghold of the alliance! Many of us are needed right now to balance the death Britannia is now facing!"

Frantic whispers break out amongst them as many Goddesses begin flooding the gate of the realm to reach Britannia. Elizabeth goes to do the same when the Goddess of Love catches her arm. She looks up into her thin stare questioningly. "We'll speak of this later."

Elizabeth simply nods slowly before she takes flight and exits the realm with the others. It's obvious to her as she glides through the air that there's a shift in the atmosphere; something dark is coming. Whether it be a natural storm or something worse she can't predict however. She follows behind a mass of her sisters with easy flaps to her wings, intending on doing whatever she can to help.

A sharp jolt goes through her belly though and her mouth forms a grimace. It pulls sharply again and again, tugging at her senses to the point where she can't possibly ignore it. Flicking blue eyes to her sisters cautiously, she falls out of line with them and takes a slightly different path then they, still going in the same direction. The feeling in her is warm and urgent making her wonder where she could possibly be needed at such a time. Her mind flashes to Meliodas for an instance, imagining him covered in blood and withering in agony and her speed increases dramatically.

She brushes over the tops of trees and spots a rocky mountain side where the pull is leading her. Diving quickly to the ground she begins to rush forward, certain it's Meliodas, but… A few beats pass and instinct tells her to twist her magic and become incorporeal. It helps that she listens because when she comes upon the opening to a well-hidden cave in the mountain she realizes it's something quite beautiful she was brought to see, to _bless_.

Her heart swells when she realizes Gelda, her charge from before, holds a baby girl swaddled in downy blankets. She looks exhausted but overjoyed as she gazes down at the raven haired squirming baby. Elizabeth looks to the father and covers her mouth as shock squeezes her stomach. _'I know him! He's Zeldris! He must be! That's why… That's why Meliodas looked familiar at first…'_ Elizabeth beams as she drifts closers unnoticed to the parents that look shaky but overflowing with love and elation.

She comes around them and sees the child's eyes are a bright blue like Gelda's. Extending a finger gleefully, Elizabeth presses it to the baby's chest once, twice, three times, then four before pulling back as her light dissipates. "Wow… four hearts." She stares at the kicking baby in wonder.

Her eyes then go to Zeldris, the brother Meliodas is relieved isn't a part of the war, and the giving side of her rears up eagerly. Her finger goes to the demon's chest a total of seven times, before her blessing is complete. She gives the demon unaware of her presence a tender smile before looking to Gelda, her finger already extended.

A rumble from the distance, the battle Elizabeth had forgotten, shakes the cave around the family and Zeldris immediately pulls his wife and child up. "Come, we must keep going, Gelda."

Gelda nods while attempting to hush her child as Zeldris swiftly ushers them from cave before Elizabeth can give the mother a blessing. Elizabeth still tries to follow feeling a sick feeling churn in her stomach for not having been able to do so, but when she reaches the outside of the cave she can't see them anymore. Her shoulders hunch as she takes her physical form. "I hope they'll be okay."

"Elizabeth!"

Her head pulls up as a wind rushes through, forcing the trees to rustle and her hair to be swept behind her briefly. Margaret flies to her side looking positively distressed. "Are you alright? What are you doing here?"

"I was blessing a family," Elizabeth explains easily.

But Margaret's expression creases with confusion. "A family?"

Elizabeth nods. "Yes. I gave the child a blessing at creation and now at birth. And then I gave the father a blessing and I was going to give the mother one too, but—"

"Elizabeth!" Margaret snaps more sharply than the younger has ever heard before and she falls silent, surprised. "Please, tell me he was not the demon I just passed with the vampire."

"Yes." She admits truthfully not seeing any wrong in her actions.

But Margaret seems determined to tell her as her expression colors with disapproval. "Demons are _never_ to be blessed, Elizabeth. You should know this by now!"

Elizabeth's eyes narrow as her eyebrows draw down. "But I was urged to bless his child!"

"For the mother's sake I'm sure."

"So," Elizabeth looks down as she jostles in the air slightly from the flap of her wings, "She was blessed before?"

Margaret turns her gaze away as wind blows hair across her face for a moment. "I suppose."

The shakiness inside of Elizabeth begins to calm at this. _'Good. They should be okay.'_

"Come," Margaret's voice snaps her back to the present, "The alliance is determined to make this the final strike against the demons. We are going to drive them back to where they belong in the Underworld."

Elizabeth lets her sister pull her through the air, all the while a weight of dread begins to line her shoulders and fill her gut.


	8. The Ultimate Sacrifice

**The end is finally here! I just want to first thank _lickitysplit_ again for even encouraging me to post this story based off of hers. I'm just so happy that she loved this so much. I'm also really happy that you all seemed to have enjoyed this as well! Thanks you all so much!**

* * *

 **~8~**

 **-The Ultimate Sacrifice-**

Meliodas had been silently constructing plans and discarding them in his mind repeatedly since he met up with the other members of the Ten Commandments after leaving Elizabeth. He knew he needed to figure out some way to put a stop to the war so that he could keep Elizabeth without worry for her safety. He's gotten a taste of what love feels like and it's not at all what he expected it to be. It's Elizabeth's smile when she looks up and notices him watching him, how bright, bashful, and elated it turns. It's Elizabeth's body, how perfectly she fits into his arms, and how much he's starting to rely on having her there. It's her laugh like sweet tinkling that always tugs a grin across his lips. Love _is_ Elizabeth and he's not going to lose her to this war.

"Meliodas," Estarossa's address pulls him from his thoughts not for the first time. "We are about to reach the Forest. Are you sure there's not something you wish to speak of. You seem to have thoughts centering elsewhere."

Meliodas tightens his jaw and eyes his fellow Commandments all spread out and grouped strategically before answering, "As I told you before, I am just planning ahead as usual." Not entirely false. He is attempting to find a plan that could lead the war to a peaceful climax.

It's unfortunate all that keeps coming to mind is murdering his own Father for the throne.

"Well, if you change your mind…" The grey haired demon lays out the offer and Meliodas is reminded of the possible fact that Estarossa might be attempting to make amends for his blunder before. Meliodas is far past that point however, not that the younger would notice.

"It would appear that they've prepared for our arrival," Gowther suddenly supplies and Meliodas spreads his senses wide already expecting the alliance to be bolstered by the hundreds. And what he feels is just about that and getting stronger by the second as more Goddesses arrive on the scene.

Tension collects in his shoulders as power streaks along his arms. His fingers press into steely fists. Meliodas' expression all but ices off. "Alright. You all know the plan."

"Of course. This is what the Demon Lord has been waiting for," Estarossa with a lazy grin and eyes that sharpens with bloodthirst.

A beat passes as Meliodas steels himself. "Then go." They dash forward in a blur, some blazing in the air, others taking leaping bounds. He can tell before the draft they kicked up even settles around him that the battle has already begun.

Meliodas marches forward at his own pace as his thoughts begin to race and the sounds of roars and screams of the war press into his ears. _'They follow my commands because I'm essentially a tie in to the Demon King.'_

His sharp sense of sight can see even from where he strides the crimson soaring through the air, staining the ground, littering dead bodies. He barely even flinches at the idea of the mass of souls being taken, mind too weighed with working through his forming plan. _'So if I go to the Underworld and… take over, I'll be able to give the orders.'_

He feels the magic swirling and flowing through the air like an ever changing tide as many fall to the curses of Commandments left and right. But he senses something else as well charging through the air like searing electricity. Like an omen. _'I can stop this. If I just act… now.'_

All the angles having been attacked in his head throughout the morning. Meliodas solidifies his resolve with a new blaze that adds life to his eyes. But a sudden sound of tiny wails pulls him to an abrupt halt. They're the sounds of an infant, it's clear. Though what would one being doing way out there, skirting the edge of an all-out war?

A feeling sours in his stomach as he pushes through prickly bushes and unyielding trees to the sound that's so near, hardly even a few yards away. He stops when his feet clear the barrier of a miniscule glade. A drop of agony, regret, _sadness_ , spreads like cracks through his chest as he eyes a woman as white as clouds on a sunny day, so unlike the day they fight through now. She looks peaceful, not a wound on her as her blond hair spills across one shoulder. There's no pain to be had upon her calm visage. She simply appears like an untouched blossom in the midst of war, laid to peace without a soul to call hers anymore.

His brother, Zeldris, does not share such a calm as his face streaks with tears of loss and his arms clutch a tiny baby girl whose wails brought Meliodas to begin with. Meliodas' arrival disturbs the quiet of mourning instantly however as Zeldris' eyes snap up and land on the older. They hold gazes for several heartbeats as Meliodas watches, unmoving, as his brother's eyes become swallowed by a blind sort of rage only a pain so great can give you.

He stands steady, chest tight, while Zeldris rises and stalks towards him with words ragged and dripping with a need for vengeance. " _You. You are the reason they are here!"_ He stops before Meliodas, cradling his crying daughter with trembling and rushed breaths, "You are the reason my wife is… _she is gone."_ The strained words of a man who doesn't want to believe, but is forced to by harsh reality pierces Meliodas more cleanly than any blade ever could. "I'll make you pay!"

"Do you think I want this?" Meliodas' voices, torn and tired, with enough force to make his brother swallow his own words. "I grow weary of this battle. _I did not want this war!"_ He nearly roars as his emotions on fighting barrels through his chest for the first time. He tightens his jaw under Zeldris' searching glare, watching the silent tears that still bleed from his brother's eyes before he forces himself to look away. "Death should have a meaning. _This_ ," he spits the word out as if it's a painful curse as his eyes look upon his brother's wife, "This is senseless."

At this Zeldris grits his teeth as he threatens to collapse inward, lifting his daughter so that he cradles her more closely to his chest with a hand carefully at the back of her soft black hair and she finally begins to calm. "I'll make them p-pay then. _I'll make Father—"_

" _No._ " And he means it, the harsh, firm, command he gives to his youngest brother who turns perturbed eyes to meet Meliodas'. "I never wanted you apart of this war. I never wanted _this_ for you. I will deal with Father."

"And if you do not succeed?" The question is serious and drawn from the power and authority he knows his brother to possess.

Meliodas goes silent, not wishing to answer. He knows if he were to somehow fail in his task, that no other would be better to follow through than Zeldris. "Just find a way to go on, brother. I will end this," he eventually gives before turning away completely with a final nod to Zeldris.

His darkness knits a pair of wings for him to soar with. And he intends to turn his back to the war for the time being and go to end his Father as quickly as possible, but something catches in his keen eyes in the distance. Something pale and glimmering innocence covered in the stains of merciless war.

A feeling comes over him crawling from his head down to his toes, cold, _freezing_ through his veins, and he feels numb, so numb. His chest is heavy with quivers that quickly begin to spread through his body as he continues to stare wide eyed, open and vulnerable. His jaw opens slightly as he utters a name not even a whisper as a pressure builds behind his eyes. As he sucks in a burning, stabbing breath, Meliodas screams her name heart wrenchingly as tears leak from his eyes and he sails over the war that goes silent and still from the power he releases just to reach _her._

Elizabeth sags in the arms of Estarossa. Her face is stained in tears, her lips bruised and smeared in the blood she was forced to hack up. Her wings lay ragged and useless on the battle worn ground, feathers missing and splattered in brilliant ruby. Her chest looks to be gauged clean through where her heart should be; though, now it's simply hollow as it leaks her lifeblood, staining her skin and dress heavily. Her skin is ashen, bruised as Estarossa laughs elated at his successful kill and Meliodas would see red if his world were not fading to grey. He would use his bare hands to murder his own flesh and blood if he weren't using them to take Elizabeth from the shocked demon where he falls to the ground and begins to _weep_.

"E-Elizabeth, please, _no."_ He begs in her matted hair, curling around her cold body as he shivers, desperate for her warmth, her love. _She promised._

"Brother, what is this? I killed her for you!" Estarossa boasts from behind him utterly perplexed. "She is the smell that has clung to you. She has been distracting you. Attempting to turn you away from the war! I can sense your waver, Meliodas. _I was only helping you._ "

 _"_ _You were only helping yourself!"_ Meliodas strikes out in a voice weighed with emotion, torn from heartbreak. "I will make you suffer. Mark my words."

When Estarossa does not respond, Meliodas clutches a shaky hand to the back of Elizabeth's head and chokes up at feeling just how limp she is in his arms and how broken she feels inside. "Tell the Commandments to return to the Underworld. I will deal with Father."

He doesn't listen for a reply as his eyes fall shut and his shoulders begin to jerk with the force of his pain. "You promised me I would not lose you," he sucks in a harsh breath. "You promised you would love me. I l-love you. So why?" His throat tightens and he almost can't breathe past the waves that continue to tear into him. His hand shakes so much, it only steadies when he brushes it across her hair stuck to blood on her cheek, smoothing it away behind her ear. _She's so cold._ His love that was showing him what warmth was, was fostering life back into him, is suddenly so cold. So far away even though he clutches her in his arms.

"You know I started to dream again?" He whispers in a raw tone, into the top of her hair, still wanting to share his secrets with her _, only her._ "I haven't dreamt since I was young, _ages ago_ , and it was… they were about silly human traditions with you… marriage, children, a home." He has to stop when he starts to feel dizzy, his mind too overwhelmed with the fact that she's well and truly _gone._ "As ridiculous as it sounds, I was going to ask you to be my wife. I w-wanted you to be my wife, Elizabeth!" He ultimately shatters when he doesn't hear the excitement he knows would have colored her tone had she known. He feels all alone when Elizabeth continues to lay still, unreachable.

" _Why did you leave me?_ I'll give you my heart. I'll give you all of them, just _please,"_ his voice falls off into a whisper of despair, _of soul rending desperation_ , as he mourns her in the ebb of battle watched by wary eyes and furious Goddesses.

Until one Goddess steps up, her wings sleek and her posture regal. She is not deterred by the waves of volatile energy wafting from his figure wrapped around Elizabeth's. She stops a respectable distance and makes her inquiry clear in her crisp tone. "Would you really be willing to do that, demon Meliodas? Would you be willing to sacrifice your hearts for her life?"

Meliodas goes quiet as his head leans up to face the goddess gazing down at him with eyes a clear, piercing gold. His answer comes unwavering and unhesitant as he thinks of Elizabeth; the life she exuded before was so precious and made him realize what love truly means to him. "Yes."

"Then it shall be done."

He feels a power thrust into him white hot and draining not a second later. They snare his hearts one by one, ripping and tearing through him as his body jerks and he loses his strength like being strained through a sieve. He makes sure to lay Elizabeth gently down as his breaths start to come slower to him with each passing moment. Then the power jerks from his body pulling all seven of his hearts at once and his eyes flutter as his body falls backwards.

He thinks as he lies on the cold lifeless ground fading quickly, that he's only just being kept in the land of the living long enough to see her regain her life, to know that his sacrifice was upheld. And through bleary eyes he sees his hearts being merged into one, something dark and seeping magic, before it's lowered into Elizabeth's body his eyes can just barely see. When the connection is made a pulse of life runs through her so vivid and tinted a soft rosy hue as all of her wounds begin to heal with care. He sees at last a pair of soft downy wings, different from her old ones yet shaded the same, stretch from her back and Meliodas takes his last breath.

He closes his eyes and two tears of relief roll down his cheeks.

~.~.~

Elizabeth takes a frightened breath as her eyes spring open. She's sure she was in a nightmare. The torture, the pain, the _laughs_ , it all couldn't have been real. She sits up terrified of falling back into such a place of torment when her eyes land on a Goddess with piercing gold eyes. The sky above looks so grey and bleak, the ground torn and withered. Her heart aches as she remembers the war with perfect clarity. She was helping as best as she could, not used to weaving through the clash of magic and swords. So if that was true then… _Then…_

She slams a hand over her mouth to hold in a gag as she looks down at herself expecting to see the evidence of everything that was done to her by Meliodas' brother, but there is nothing there. There is nothing…?

"You were brought back to life through a sacrifice," The clean response coaxes her off the edge of hysteria.

"W-what?" Elizabeth asks bewildered and the Goddess look at her with something akin to pity.

"That one over there sacrificed himself for you."

Elizabeth turns at the words so quickly as her heart accelerates to speeds physically excruciating. She prays to the heavens that it isn't him, that it isn't Meliodas, but seeing him with seven missing places in his chest has her screaming herself raw. She scrambles to him, pulling him to her chest as she tries to use her power to heal him, but the magic doesn't come to her. And no matter how hard she reaches and pulls, and begs and pleads, the familiar sensation does not arise. He looks so young, so peaceful as if sleeping and that only makes her sob harder.

"Take it back! P-please, take it back! He does not deserve this," she cries hoarsely.

"I cannot. That would be going against his sacrifice." She's given an indifferent response.

"Why can't I heal him!?" Elizabeth demands harshly for the first time in her life as her fingers shake at his back.

"Because he gave you his hearts. You have become a Goddess of Love." She receives as a precise explanation as golden eyes watch her mourning.

"Goddess of Love?" She whispers into his golden hair. She closes her eyes as her tears refuse to cease, curling her arms tightly around the demon who gave up everything for her, who made her what she always dreamt of being, but now abhors to her very core. A distant rumble sounds and not a moment later rain begins to pelt down, the beginnings of a storm for once not of her making.

Elizabeth laughs bitterly, frozen on the inside as her hand sweeps through his drenched locks. "A Goddess of Love. If I knew what it would take to become one, I would have _never…_ " She breaks off as a lump threatens to choke her. "I should have listened. I should have stayed away from love. I was a Goddess of Life, but _I_ brought death to you and I'm so sorry Meliodas. I'm s-sorry."

Lightning arcs through the air and thunder follows deafening behind it as wind picks up speed. Elizabeth presses a kiss to his head and shakily whispers, "I promise I'll always love you and one day… one day I hope to meet you again in a better time, in a happier way."

Elizabeth continues to hold him, her blue eyes glassy and lost somewhere far away as the Goddess of Sacrifice finds her own presence no longer needed there. She about faces and strides briskly away, disappearing in a blur of mist.


End file.
